What does "bizarre" mean?
Any of several types of flower with stripes of various colours.; A carnation having stripes of two distinct colours on the white petals.
Bizarre
/bəˈzɑɹ/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any of several types of flower with stripes of various colours.; A carnation having stripes of two distinct colours on the white petals.
- Grammar: bizarre is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: eccentric, absurd, amusing, antic.
- Useful contrasts: conventional, credible, logical.
- Usage evidence: This is one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen.
How to use "bizarre"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "bizarre" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "bizarre" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "bizarre" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "bizarre" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "bizarre" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "eccentric" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "bizarre", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of several types of flower with stripes of various colours.; A carnation having stripes of two distinct colours on the white petals.
- 2 Any of several types of flower with stripes of various colours.; A tulip with a certain pattern of various colored stripes.
"Each tulip-grower who has broken seedlings claims and has a perfect right to give it a name; but some confusion naturally is caused by the fact that different names have been given to such that have broken almost exactly alike. In a bed of a hundred seedlings it is not probable that any two will be very nearly alike in their markings, which uncertainty adds greatly to the charms of tulip cultivation. The hope of obtaining something new in the markings and pencilling is a sufficient stimulant for the enthusiast to persevere in his labor of love until he has found one quite worthy of a name. Another singular feature in the tulip is, that after it breaks, it ever remains the same, and never returns to its self-color again. The show or fancy tulips are divided into three classes: 1. Bybloemen, or violets, such as have a white ground, variegated with purple or violet, the edges well feathered, the leaflets erect, and the whole forming a perfect cup. 2. Bizarres, having a yellow ground, variegated with rose, scarlet, purple, or violet. 3. Roses, with white ground color, variegated with rosy-red, pink, or soft rose."
Adjective
- 1 Strangely unconventional; highly unusual and different from common experience, often in an extravagant, fantastic, and/or conspicuous way.
"That was a bizarre adventure!"
Adjective
- 1 conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"This is one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "bizarre"?
Common synonyms include: eccentric, absurd, amusing, antic, anticked, awe inspiring.
How do you use "bizarre" in a sentence?
This is one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen.
How do you pronounce "bizarre"?
Pronounced /bəˈzɑɹ/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French bizarre (“odd, peculiar, bizarre”, formerly “headlong, angry”). Either from Basque bizar (“a beard”) (the notion being that bearded Spanish soldiers made a strange impression on the French), or from Italian bizzarro.