unusual
adjective
un·usu·al
ˌən-ˈyü-zhə-wəl 
-zhəl;
-ˈyüzh-wəl
: not usual: as
a
: not normal or typical
It's unusual for him to work this late.
b
: different or strange in a way that attracts attention
an unusual design
d
: extraordinary sense 1, remarkable
a scholar of unusual ability
unusually
adverb
unusualness
noun
Examples of unusual in a Sentence
It's not unusual for him to stay late at work.
a scene of unusual beauty
She has an unusual name.
Recent Examples on the Web
For hockey players, long games can also lead to experimenting with unusual drinks.
—
Sam Jane, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
Mamdani’s next action, meanwhile, showed the unusual scrutiny faced by his nascent administration, particularly around his criticism of Israel and outspoken support for the Palestinian cause.
—Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
The seeds are quite crunchy and the texture may seem unusual at first.
—Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
Torrance’s pilferings are unusual Agave theft happens with some frequency.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unusual
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.
Sam Jane, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
Mamdani’s next action, meanwhile, showed the unusual scrutiny faced by his nascent administration, particularly around his criticism of Israel and outspoken support for the Palestinian cause.
—Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
The seeds are quite crunchy and the texture may seem unusual at first.
—Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026
Torrance’s pilferings are unusual Agave theft happens with some frequency.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unusual
Cite this Entry
“Unusual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unusual. Accessed 5 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unusual
adjective
un·usu·al
ˌən-ˈyüzh-(ə-)wəl
-ˈyü-zhəl
unusually
adverb
-ē
unusualness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share