1
as in bizarre
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion
the night watchman calls the police if he notices any out-of-the-way activity taking place during his shift
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unusual
noticeably different from what is generally found or experienced
there was nothing out-of-the-way about the hitchhiker's appearance that might arouse suspicion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
out of the way
2 of 2phrase
1
as in up
brought or having come to an end
Now that we've got the first step out of the way it's time to start phase two.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation
They hoped he wouldn't say anything out of the way at the party.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of out-of-the-way
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 11 July 2025
The pair skied many of the out-of-the-way mountains that were great dollar values back then, including Berthoud Pass, Loveland, and Ski Cooper—with a $15 season pass.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 3 July 2025
No one wants to lug heavy piles of yard waste to an out-of-the-way compost bin—especially in the dead of winter.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025
Besides the occasional random spider that scuttles indoors, some spiders can live in out-of-the-way spots in your home, such as along ceilings or in basements and behind clutter.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for out-of-the-way
Adjective
Stay away from the nest for at least a day.
Nests that are located in out-of-the-way spots, such as the back of your property, don’t need to be destroyed.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 11 July 2025
The pair skied many of the out-of-the-way mountains that were great dollar values back then, including Berthoud Pass, Loveland, and Ski Cooper—with a $15 season pass.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 3 July 2025
No one wants to lug heavy piles of yard waste to an out-of-the-way compost bin—especially in the dead of winter.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025
Besides the occasional random spider that scuttles indoors, some spiders can live in out-of-the-way spots in your home, such as along ceilings or in basements and behind clutter.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for out-of-the-way
Recent Examples of Synonyms for out-of-the-way
Adjective
-
Sony and Microsoft and the PC world can keep playing the cutting-edge hardware competition while Nintendo luxuriates in its bizarre boutique silo, unbothered, moisturized, in its lane, consistently content with winning its own solo race.—
Mitch Wallace,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
-
President Donald Trump shared a bizarre meme Saturday morning depicting himself and Vice President JD Vance chasing former President Barack Obama in an altered photo from O.J. Simpson’s infamous white Bronco police chase.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
26 July 2025
Adjective
-
Their target area was unusual, though: a strip of lawn between the road and a fence bordering Interstate 65, where homeless people have set up about two dozen tents over the first half of this year.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
26 July 2025
-
Summer storms cause travel headaches every year, but these numbers are not unusual.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
Adjective
-
That same day, the AI chatbot Grok, which is controlled by Musk’s xAI, kicked off its own strange Epstein tirade.—
John Hyatt,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
-
An airline worker staying a night at a hotel near the airport entered their room, only to realize there was something strange about their view.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 July 2025
Adjective
-
Now, several weeks of free rent are not uncommon, along with gift cards and other specials to entice renters.—
Beck Andrew Salgado,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
Spotty cell service or none at all is not uncommon in parts of Kerr County, northwest of San Antonio.—
Suzanne Gamboa,
NBC news,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
And that’s exactly the kind of weird the planet needs.—
Heather Wishart-Smith,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
Though country rock at their core, Roadhouse Band songs are flush with woodwinds and pedal steel, weird horns and synthesizers.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
But a funny thing happened on the way to this flexible-rate nirvana.—
Brian Domitrovic,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
-
His voice is too funny, too smart and too important to go quietly into the night.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
19 July 2025
Adjective
-
The ever-changing face of modern gin has birthed many styles to pique the palate of the gin aficionado—or anyone partial to the odd G&T.—
Camille Berry,
Vogue,
15 July 2025
-
Depicted as short and animalistic in the comics, the tall, hunky Jackman seemed like an odd fit, but his interpretation of the retractable-clawed superhero is now definitive in mainstream popular culture.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
In rare cases, EU countries may allow the customer to pay import VAT as a fallback, but this will only apply if explicitly permitted by the Member State—and only in exceptional situations.—
Aleksandra Bal,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
-
Because the only thing better than designer, is rare, vintage designer.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
20 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Out-of-the-way.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/out-of-the-way. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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