strange to say

Idioms

Also, strangely enough. Surprisingly, curiously, unaccountably, as in Strange to say, all the boys in his class are six feet tall or taller, or I've never been to the circus, strangely enough. This idiom was first recorded in 1697 as strange to relate.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Given the appalling suffering in the Middle East it may sound strange to say the war in Ukraine is on a completely different level to this.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025

All of which, strange to say, makes Mr. Curry’s memoir the more gripping.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

It feels strange to say that Nolan is due to win as a director.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2023

It is so strange to say … I have something inside me and I recognize immediately.

From New York Times • Jul. 25, 2023

It was warmer in the godswood, strange to say.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023