1
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
a number of uncanny parallels in the lives of the twins who had been separated at birth
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in superhuman
being so extraordinary or abnormal as to suggest powers which violate the laws of nature
an uncanny gift for knowing when someone, no matter how distant, needed help
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in eerie
fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic
uncanny and unexpected shadows along the mountainsides
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of uncanny
The most uncanny moments of the trial were when the two worlds intersected.
—
Katie Ebner-Landy, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2025
His colorful goal calls, baritone pipes and uncanny feel for hockey turned him into a Pittsburgh legend, and in the years before Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby became household names in Pittsburgh, the city’s hockey franchise had one star — the play-by-play man.
—Josh Yohe, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025
Du Maurier makes good use of many of the usual tropes of the Gothic genre, especially uncanny doubling: Relentlessly and unfavorably compared to the Manderley estate’s bewitching former mistress, the nameless narrator is pushed to the brink of sanity by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers.
—M.l. Rio, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Those retouching features can look uncanny, though, and are processor-intensive.
—PCMAG, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncanny
Katie Ebner-Landy, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2025
His colorful goal calls, baritone pipes and uncanny feel for hockey turned him into a Pittsburgh legend, and in the years before Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby became household names in Pittsburgh, the city’s hockey franchise had one star — the play-by-play man.
—Josh Yohe, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025
Du Maurier makes good use of many of the usual tropes of the Gothic genre, especially uncanny doubling: Relentlessly and unfavorably compared to the Manderley estate’s bewitching former mistress, the nameless narrator is pushed to the brink of sanity by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers.
—M.l. Rio, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Those retouching features can look uncanny, though, and are processor-intensive.
—PCMAG, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncanny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncanny
Adjective
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The investigation finds Reacher smack dab in the center of a mysterious rug import business called Bizarre Bazaar.—
Chris Gardner,
The Hollywood Reporter,
20 Feb. 2025
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The world’s waters are deep and mysterious places, and the best fishermen are good at keeping secrets.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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To help execute his plan (and ward off the collective power of the Avengers), Ultron gives himself a body (and a few drone backups) and recruits imprisoned superhuman twins Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen).—
Will Harris,
EW.com,
14 Feb. 2025
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Based on the quintessential toyline first launched in the 1980s and the popular cartoon of the same era, the concept centers on the character of Prince Adam of Eternia who, thanks to his Power Sword, turns into the muscular He-Man and is imbued with superhuman strength and abilities.—
Borys Kit,
The Hollywood Reporter,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Every family has photos like this: a man posing with what is likely a prized possession, a Brownie camera; a woman in a living room chair looking unamused by the photographer; a trio of joyful young girls given an eerie overlay from a double exposure or developing mishap.—
April White,
JSTOR Daily,
17 Feb. 2025
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Lurking around every corner is an eerie feeling that something, or someone, may be watching you.—
Megan duBois,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Tell me more about the album’s title—is it supposed to be a little cryptic?—
Liam Hess,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2025
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Prologue was first announced in 2019 with a cryptic trailer that showed a first-person view of a storm crashing through a dark forest.—
Issy van der Velde,
Rolling Stone,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In a miraculous fall from the height of fame, Faithfull lost custody of her child and wound up homeless on the streets of London.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
31 Jan. 2025
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That is where Gomati’s miraculous recovery began, at rock bottom.—
Ethan Mannello,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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This series delves deep into some of the most haunting and underreported stories from the calendar.—
Melissa Noel,
Essence,
6 Feb. 2025
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Matt and Ryan have crafted a story that is haunting and deeply relevant.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Founded on the ethos of art as a form of mystic healing, the label reimagines the family heirloom—and invites its patrons to examine their relationship with objects.—
Nia Shumake,
Essence,
3 Feb. 2025
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Healy Lake members have long considered their dogs to be mystic companions, according to Combs.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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This process continues until one movie receives that magical 50% and is deemed the winner.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
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The natural bitterness of the leaves, tamed by the oil and balanced by the citrus, all bound together with salt, was magical.—
Georgeanne Brennan,
The Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Uncanny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncanny. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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