unusual
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unusual
Explanation
Something unusual is uncommon. It's odd, weird, or out of the ordinary in some way. Unusual is the opposite of usual, thanks to the prefix un, meaning "not." Unusual things are noteworthy: you don't see them every day. A dog chasing a squirrel is usual. A squirrel chasing a dog would be unusual. Unusual can mean strange and bizarre, or just things that are rare. If someone is always absent, showing up would be unusual. Most surprising things are unusual.
Vocabulary lists containing unusual
List 7
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Strange
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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.
For more than 15 years, Braunschweig has focused on overcoming this limitation and creating molecules containing unusual bonds involving boron.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
Bastiaan van Blokland from the Netherlands Red Cross said the crossing was "unusual"
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
It isn’t unusual for presidents to reshuffle the org chart after a midterm drubbing.
From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2026
When Canva announced it was laying off 22% of its staff on Tuesday, the severance package included unusual benefits for former employees.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
Even before Barry Voight’s visit, Johnston had worried about the story of one unusual volcano in particular.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
