Don't you smell something unusual?
Source: tatoeba (25026)
Unusual
/ʌnˈjuːʒuəl/
Synonyms for "unusual" (198 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (40)
Adjective(16 words)
aberrantabnormalatypical conductatypical developmentatypical organismcurious earthlingsdeviant actionsdeviant behaviordeviant readingdeviant resultdistinctive behaviordistinctive personexceptionalexoticextraordinaryextraordinary event
Strong matches (59)
Adjective(32 words)
extreme valueextreme weather eventsfreakierfreakyhistoric treatyinfrequentirregularirregular dayirregular movementnoncharacteristicnonconformingnoncustomary actionnonstandardnonstandard speciesnovel approachnovel conceptodd countsodd habitodd habitsodd integer
Related words (99)
out of the ordinaryout of this worldout-of-the-wayoutlandishoutrepaleparticularpeculiarphenomenalpicturesqueprodigiousquaintqueerrarerarelyravingrechercheremarkableremotescarce
Show 41 more words
seldom met withseldom seensightsignalsingularslowsparsespecialstrangestrikingsui generissuperiorsupernaturalthinunaccountableunaccustomeduncommonuncommonlyunconventionaluncustomaryundreamed ofundreamed-ofunearthlyunexpectedunfamiliarunfrequentunheard ofunheard-ofunimaginableuniqueunnaturalunordinaryunorthodoxunparalleledunprecedentedunthinkableunthought ofunthought-ofuntypicalunusuallyunwonted
Adjective(33 words)
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: aberrant, aberrant, abnormal, abnormal, alien.
- Sentence evidence is available for unusual, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "unusual".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "unusual"
Keep "unusual" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "unusual" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "unusual", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "unusual" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
3 entriesMore specific
7 entriesunusual achievementunusual appearanceunusual behaviorunusual delayunusual patternunusual talentunusual weather
Collocations
6 entriesunusual appearanceunusual circumstanceunusual delayunusual eventunusual patternunusual weather
Inflections
2 entriesmore unusualmost unusual
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
30 entriesShowing 16 of 30 words.
Sample sentences
16 total sentences available.
It is unusual to see rock stars wearing a tie!
Source: tatoeba (29355)
The study by Meyer and his colleagues was unusual.
Source: tatoeba (32878)
That's an unusual thing, undoubtedly.
Source: tatoeba (42270)
Showing 4 of 16 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "unusual"?
Closest matches include aberrant, aberrant, abnormal, abnormal, alien.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "unusual"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.