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Synonyms

unusual

American  
[uhn-yoo-zhoo-uhl, -yoozh-wuhl] / ʌnˈyu ʒu əl, -ˈyuʒ wəl /

adjective

  1. not usual, common, or ordinary; uncommon in amount or degree; exceptional.

    an unusual sound; an unusual hobby; an unusual response.
    Synonyms:
    odd, queer, curious, singular, strange, rare, remarkable, extraordinary
unusual British  
/ ʌnˈjuːʒʊəl /

adjective

  1. out of the ordinary; uncommon; extraordinary

    an unusual design
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unusually adverb
  • unusualness noun

Etymology

Origin of unusual

First recorded in 1575–85; un- 1 + usual

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.

The uncertainty around fuel prices explains the unusual split.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

In a highly unusual move, Vance also appeared at a rally for the prime minister, where he called for his reelection.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

Vietnam's communist-dominated general assembly has elected To Lam, the party leader, to be the country's president and head of state, an unusual concentration of power in one person.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Keenan embodies the trend, though his sharp rise in the agency is particularly unusual, current and former prosecutors said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

It felt so unusual being out at that hour.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.