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.
The district finds itself in the unusual position of paying two superintendents.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Autopsies ordered by coroners are usually done as part of investigations into an unexpected or unusual death as well as deaths in custody.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
Each year, as families wander through the Leona Valley orchards with red buckets, it’s not unusual to hear Spanish, Persian, Korean and Japanese as well as English.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
The researchers then explored an even more unusual possibility.
From Science Daily • May 18, 2026
This was so unusual that right away Mama knew something was wrong.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
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.
