strange to say

Idioms  

1. 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.

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Example Sentences

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

Then there was the light pollution, worsening crime, and, strange to say, a lot of black bears roaming the city streets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025

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

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2023

“Who lived by a code of honor. Almost seems strange to say that today. But he lived by a code of honor.”

From New York Times • Dec. 10, 2021

“It sounds strange to say, but I think it was them. It sounds like something out of a story, so I don’t want to believe it. But I do.”

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss