odd

adjective

ˈäd How to pronounce odd (audio)
Definition of oddnext
1
as in single
being one of a pair or set without a corresponding mate somehow, there's always at least one odd sock that comes out of the dryer

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2
as in strange
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion odd behavior that prompted one of the waiting passengers to alert airport security

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3
as in unusual
being out of the ordinary the only odd grade for the exam was the one perfect score

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4
as in uncommon
noticeably different from what is generally found or experienced the odd occurrences in the area attracted the attention of people interested in psychic phenomena

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5
as in occasional
not often occurring or repeated with the exception of the odd sick day, he never takes time off from work

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word odd distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of odd are eccentric, erratic, outlandish, peculiar, quaint, singular, strange, and unique. While all these words mean "departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected," odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected.

an odd sense of humor

When can eccentric be used instead of odd?

The words eccentric and odd can be used in similar contexts, but eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior.

the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers

When would erratic be a good substitute for odd?

While the synonyms erratic and odd 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 outlandish instead of odd?

In some situations, the words outlandish and odd are roughly equivalent. However, outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric.

outlandish fashions of the time

When is peculiar a more appropriate choice than odd?

While in some cases nearly identical to odd, peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness.

the peculiar status of America's first lady

When might quaint be a better fit than odd?

Although the words quaint and odd have much in common, quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness.

a quaint fishing village

Where would singular be a reasonable alternative to odd?

The meanings of singular and odd largely overlap; however, singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness.

a singular feeling of impending disaster

In what contexts can strange take the place of odd?

The words strange and odd 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 could unique be used to replace odd?

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

a career unique in the annals of science

Example 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 odd The two met thirty-odd years ago, when Williamson was a salesman at the venerable JJ Hat Center, in midtown. —David Kamp, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026 Guthrie’s disappearance, which police initially said was a missing person case, was odd from the beginning, and the mystery has only deepened with time. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026 His Gallery of Modern Art at 2 Columbus Circle, built for the playboy supermarket heir Huntington Hartford, was an even stranger little building wrapped in white marble, lined with bronze portholes, and standing on odd little stilts. —Christopher Robbins, Curbed, 9 Feb. 2026 The two became friends 20-odd years ago when Sullivan hired Welch, an interior designer, for a project. —Rachel Monroe, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for odd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for odd
  1. single
  2. strange
  3. unusual
  4. uncommon
  5. occasional
  6. only
  7. bizarre
  8. extraordinary
Adjective
  • The officer fired a single shot from his handgun, striking Sosa-Celis in his right thigh.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Raise the minimum wage, ban private equity and institutional investors from buying single family homes, provide incentives to emerging industries like clean energy to bring new high paying jobs to Texas.
    — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of single
Adjective
  • In a strange twist, the Max app was developed by VKontakte (VK), which Durov co-founded before selling his shares and leaving Russia in 2014, after Durov said the Kremlin had asked the site to hand over Ukrainian users’ data.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Paul, the polarizing boxer, has been no stranger to showing emotion.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of strange
Adjective
  • That unusual role for a spy chief raised additional questions from Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees.
    — DAVID KLEPPER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Arkansas Online, 5 Feb. 2026
  • What was unusual, in Lublin’s view, was for Bessent to reveal his thoughts on monetary policy — normally the purview of the Federal Reserve — and his insistence that Trump has the right to interfere with the decision-making of the central bank.
    — Fatima Hussein, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of unusual
Adjective
  • Those conditions are uncommon, but not unprecedented in the historical record.
    — Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 13 Feb. 2026
  • This is something that is common around young stars that have turbulent and violent environments, but is uncommon for stars as old as ASASSN-24fw, estimated to be around 1 billion years old.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of uncommon
Adjective
  • Scam centers proliferating as criminal gangs flout laws In Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, a failure to consistently enforce laws against human trafficking, labor abuses and criminal activities have allowed cyber-scam centers to flourish despite occasional crackdowns, the report noted.
    — Elaine Kurtenbach, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
  • While occasional scooting can happen, recurring episodes usually signal an underlying issue with anal glands.
    — Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of occasional
Adjective
  • Long before his sermons, the bling, and the criminal convictions, Singh was the only son of a landlord in a quiet Rajasthan village, according to the group’s website.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Vinatieri was the only one in the class who was a part of the Patriots’ dynasty.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of only
Adjective
  • Having stabilized his ship in orbit around the black hole, Dr Hans Reinhardt (a bizarre, OTT performance from Maximilian Schell) now plans to fly into it, assisted by an unquestioning crew of automatons with a very dark origin story.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 8 Feb. 2026
  • That's bizarre to me, especially those two.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of bizarre
Adjective
  • Memory chipmakers have also seen extraordinary surges due to expectations for the AI buildout to boost demand for data storage.
    — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Private schools, particularly Catholic schools, have demonstrated extraordinary success — even in communities struggling with poverty.
    — Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of extraordinary

Phrases Containing odd

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odalisques
odd
oddball
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Cite this Entry

“Odd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/odd. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on odd

Nglish: Translation of odd for Spanish Speakers

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