unique

adjective

yu̇-ˈnēk How to pronounce unique (audio)
Definition of uniquenext
1
as in personal
of, relating to, or belonging to a single person a comedian who brings a unique and twisted perspective to contemporary social issues

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unusual
being out of the ordinary the restaurant, specializing in fusion cuisine, provides a truly unique dining experience for those who can afford it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in only
being the one or ones of a class with no other members the Mapparium, a huge glass globe that visitors can walk through, is unique—there's not another one like it anywhere

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4
as in uncommon
noticeably different from what is generally found or experienced a unique ability to add large sums in his head

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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unique characteristics
distinctive characteristics
peculiar characteristics
specific characteristics
special characteristics
especial characteristics
a unique design
a distinct design
a distinctive design
an exclusive design
an unparalleled design
an unprecedented design
a unique perspective
an exclusive perspective
an original perspective
a distinct perspective
an unusual perspective
a different perspective
a unique situation
an unusual situation
an uncommon situation
an unparalleled situation
an exceptional situation
an unprecedented situation

Synonym Chooser

How is the word unique distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of unique are eccentric, erratic, odd, outlandish, peculiar, quaint, singular, and strange. While all these words mean "departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected," unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel.

a career unique in the annals of science

When would eccentric be a good substitute for unique?

While in some cases nearly identical to unique, eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior.

the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers

When can erratic be used instead of unique?

The meanings of erratic and unique largely overlap; however, erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating.

a friend's suddenly erratic behavior

Where would odd be a reasonable alternative to unique?

The words odd and unique are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected.

an odd sense of humor

When is it sensible to use outlandish instead of unique?

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

outlandish fashions of the time

When could peculiar be used to replace unique?

The synonyms peculiar and unique are sometimes interchangeable, but peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness.

the peculiar status of America's first lady

When might quaint be a better fit than unique?

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

a quaint fishing village

When is singular a more appropriate choice than unique?

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

a singular feeling of impending disaster

In what contexts can strange take the place of unique?

While the synonyms strange and unique are close in meaning, strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable.

a journey filled with strange sights

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 unique They were inspired by treasured calligraphy tools, and each brush features a unique walnut handle with distinctive grain. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2025 As if this weren’t enough reason to believe in the cosmos, the actress was born with Venus conjunct her Ascendant in Gemini, making her witty communication style and unique quirks part of her fatal charm. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025 Don't sacrifice human connection and insight to save money with mediocre AI outputs. Organizations that cultivate unique human perspectives and integrate them with thoughtful AI augmentation will likely outperform those that pursue cost-cutting through wholesale creative automation. —ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025 These lanterns are bright, and their unique design makes the solar hanging light the perfect outdoor decoration. —Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unique
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unique
  1. personal
  2. unusual
  3. only
  4. uncommon
  5. extraordinary
  6. special
  7. funny
  8. subjective
Adjective
  • Its network of over 900 successful professionals is worth over $5.7 billion as of this writing, and the group is quickly gaining notoriety for its significant influence not just on professional but personal growth.
    — Kody Boye, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Image Image Image Many volunteers made enormous personal sacrifices to respond to the crisis.
    — Declan Walsh, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of personal
Adjective
  • Although not musicians, the Goldbergs quickly realized there was something unusual about their 3-year-old boy.
    — Steve Rothaus, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025
  • For one group of six girls living in Waterloo, Canada, their lives took an unusual turn when a couple of very territorial geese decided to claim their front lawn as their own.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of unusual
Adjective
  • Another: Ty Warren, one of now 14 NFL players from Bryan, Texas — and the only other defensive lineman.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 26 Apr. 2025
  • The only deal that Netanyahu would view as acceptable is a Libya-style nuclear deal.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025
Definition of only
Adjective
  • In crime films with a socially conscious subplot about young people’s painful search for their place in Depression-era society, Garfield developed his natural ability to express an uncommon level of authenticity and truthfulness in any role.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The company promotes its concept of using compact properties, green energy systems and an uncommon construction process reduce costs, allowing lower rents.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 23 Apr. 2025
Definition of uncommon
Adjective
  • Harvard University President Alan Garber released an open letter today that provided an exceptional example of leadership integrity when faced with extraordinary external pressure.
    — Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • As the investigation unfolds, attention is likely to remain on both the technical aspects of the crash and the extraordinary lives lost in an instant.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of extraordinary
Adjective
  • Why the Chargers drafted him: When picking this far at the end of the draft, special teams tends to be the first fit, and Bridges is eager to apply his skills.
    — Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Kansas coach Bill Self already has a special connection with UTEP transfer guard Ahamad Bynum.
    — Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2025
Definition of special
Adjective
  • What’s funny about that is that Alexander appears to have some Leonard Williams to his game.
    — Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Not lying and not funny, but not to be ignored either.
    — Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Definition of funny
Adjective
  • Whatever the vocabulary, this new breed of firm used subjective concepts to drive their business processes.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
  • At its roots, the Ballon d’Or is a subjective award.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of subjective

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unique
uniqueness
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Cite this Entry

“Unique.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unique. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

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