weirdo
Americannoun
-
an odd, eccentric, or unconventional person.
-
a psychopath, especially a dangerous or vicious one; psycho.
They caught the weirdo who attacked the children.
noun
Usage
What does weirdo mean? A weirdo is a person who behaves in ways that are considered odd or unconventional. Weirdo is based on the adjective weird, which most commonly means strange, odd, peculiar, or bizarre. Weirdo is very informal. It can be used both negatively as an insult and positively as a compliment, depending on how you feel about someone else’s weird behavior. Much less commonly, weirdo can be used as an informal term for a person considered a dangerous psychopath. Example: My dog keeps licking the wall—what a weirdo!
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of weirdo
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.
Unburdened by the gravitational pull of parental expectations or affection, the alleged weirdo is free to find her way to happiness by whatever means she sees fit.
From Salon • May 20, 2026
Of course, I’d be the weirdo in the crowd wearing my nerdiest James Cameron shirt, a deep-cut reference to “Aliens.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
“I’m such a weirdo, anxiety-ridden, stressed-out control freak. I don’t know how to have fun, so I’m doing my best,” Linda Perry told the crowd at a sold-out Roxy Theatre last December.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
If he were still with us, and I was able, I’d thank him for that weirdo.
From Salon • Feb. 17, 2026
It made her want to puke the way Trotter carried on over that little weirdo.
From "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson
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.
