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eccentric

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word eccentric distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of eccentric are erratic, odd, outlandish, peculiar, quaint, singular, strange, and unique. While all these words mean "departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected," eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior.

the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers

When is erratic a more appropriate choice than eccentric?

While the synonyms erratic and eccentric are close in meaning, erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating.

a friend's suddenly erratic behavior

When is it sensible to use odd instead of eccentric?

While in some cases nearly identical to eccentric, odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected.

an odd sense of humor

Where would outlandish be a reasonable alternative to eccentric?

Although the words outlandish and eccentric have much in common, outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric.

outlandish fashions of the time

When could peculiar be used to replace eccentric?

The meanings of peculiar and eccentric largely overlap; however, peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness.

the peculiar status of America's first lady

In what contexts can quaint take the place of eccentric?

In some situations, the words quaint and eccentric are roughly equivalent. However, quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness.

a quaint fishing village

When can singular be used instead of eccentric?

The words singular and eccentric can be used in similar contexts, but singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness.

a singular feeling of impending disaster

When would strange be a good substitute for eccentric?

The words strange and eccentric are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable.

a journey filled with strange sights

When might unique be a better fit than eccentric?

The synonyms unique and eccentric are sometimes interchangeable, but unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel.

a career unique in the annals of science

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of eccentric
Adjective
For the uninitiated, Wallace is a bald, toothy, eccentric inventor of whirring, beeping gadgets that no else much wants. Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025 Nosferatu has a few eerie set pieces, including a scene with Friedrich’s wife, Anna (Emma Corrin), and some rats, and Willem Dafoe eventually and enjoyably turns up as the eccentric Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz, who specializes in the otherworldly. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
André 3000 has influenced rap eccentrics his junior whose idiosyncratic sensibility is seen in their sound and clothes: California’s Tyler, the Creator, Cavalier from Brooklyn, and EarthGang, the Atlanta group for which Spelman’s curator in residence Karen Lowe brings OutKast to mind. Julian Randall, Essence, 25 Nov. 2024 Long before its golden sands and rocky coves became reality TV-famous, Laguna Beach was known as an enclave for artists, eccentrics, surfers, and bohemians. Christina Pérez, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for eccentric 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eccentric
Adjective
  • Duran Duran has paid tribute to the late American filmmaker David Lynch, whose brilliant and bizarre films laid the inspirational groundwork for a young Nick Rhodes.
    Lars Brandle, Billboard, 17 Jan. 2025
  • By Judy Berman January 17, 2025 6:00 AM EST The spectacular finale of Severance’s first season introduced a love triangle more bizarre than New Order could ever have imagined.
    Judy Berman, TIME, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Related Stories Movies 'Any Given Sunday': THR's 1999 Review For first-time viewers, the carnival of characters which gives the series its richness for addicts such as this viewer, may seem initially confusing.
    Gail Williams, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
  • The peewee population interacted with each other in various settings and included bocce bowlers, bare-bottomed peasants, baguette bakers, blind men, the mustachioed mayor, female fishmongers, dunce hat-wearing schoolboys, snail saleswomen, and gobs more characters.
    gqlshare, Orange County Register, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The relationship ended abruptly when Vanessa Townsend, Townsend’s wife, received a strange flower delivery accompanied by a note informing her of the affair.
    Paige Harriss, ABC News, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Asked if there’s a moment that’s especially strange, like when the lineup is introduced or when the game starts, Beal said every moment is weird.
    Doug Haller, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The end of that era should be celebrated, but this calling out of the loudmouths, oddballs, misogynists and gropers may have tipped into an overly condemnatory age.
    Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 31 Dec. 2024
  • But favorites and oddballs aside, all of the pieces come together to make a full drag kit, or collection of products performers use to craft their onstage personas.
    TAYLOR ALXNDR, Them, 27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Nick Park directed this funny flick that may not be Aardman’s best, but minor Aardman is still a family film worth seeing.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
  • In Eureka Day, Jonathan Spector’s incisive and dazzlingly funny play now on Broadway about a Berkeley school board navigating a mumps outbreak, Amber Gray is a new parent named Carina.
    Marley Marius, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • These striking designs were all the rage in the 1950s and 1960s and, while they've been replicated by many modern manufacturers, the originals can command a high price tag.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2025
  • The Irish singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist presents the originals beneath a veil of ambience and reverb, embedding a nostalgic in the fabric of her homespun renditions.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • So, not a Rangers record, but certainly one for the weird record books in this weird season.
    Arthur Staple, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
  • The deeply weird and disinformation-filled conversation between Musk and Alice Weidel, the leader of Alternative for Germany (AfD), took place on X.
    David Gilbert, WIRED, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Jiraiya Look, yes, Jiraiya is a bit of a creepy weirdo, but as a mentor for Naruto, there really couldn't be a better choice.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024
  • There have been few depictions of Dracula as a true weirdo — a guy who lurks in the corner and makes unsolicited comments about the beauty of Harker’s wife’s neck — but Schreck’s portrayal of Dracula as a wealthy foreign invader is essential to the cinematic history of the count.
    Celia Mattison, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Eccentric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eccentric. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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