weird

en
en
Change language
Translating...
Find language
Français
French
Español
Spanish
Deutsch
German
Português
Portuguese
Русский
Russian
/wɪrd/
Add to My Dictionary
In My Dictionary
+1
It describes something markedly odd or unusual, and historically it can refer to a person's destiny or to the realm of the uncanny and supernatural.
Practice using this word in conversation

Examples

  • The ancient tome described the weird beyond the veil.
  • The ancient scroll described the weird of kings.
  • Travelers feared the weird that lingered in the ruins.
  • She always wears weird shoes to stand out.
  • The garden grew weird mushrooms after the storm.

Similar words

destiny
spooky
uncanny
doom
odd
unusual
otherworldly
strange
supernatural
bizarre

Meanings

Strange or unusual

adjective
everyday
neutral
Having a markedly odd, unusual, or unexpected quality that makes something seem out of the ordinary.

Usage

Use weird to describe something markedly odd or unusual, especially when it feels out of the ordinary.

Examples

  • The painting has a weird color palette that catches the eye.
  • She always wears weird shoes to stand out.
  • The weird noise in the hallway made everyone pause.
  • His weird sense of humor confused the audience.
  • That weird coincidence felt like a sign.
  • The garden grew weird mushrooms after the storm.
  • I found a weird object on the beach this morning.

Common mistakes

The adjective is often misused as an adverb or confused with the archaic noun sense.
IncorrectCorrect
She felt weirdly about the surprise. She felt weird about the surprise.
The weird of the story was his fate. The fate of the story was his destiny.
That weird car is very fast. That unusual car is very fast.
He is a weird. He is weird.

Similar words

odd
strange
unusual
bizarre
peculiar
eerie

Fate or destiny

noun
literary
archaic
A person's predetermined destiny or the force that controls the course of events, as used in older literature.

Usage

Use weird in its older literary sense to refer to a person's destiny, but only in historical or poetic contexts.

Examples

  • In the old tale, the king's weird was sealed by prophecy.
  • She accepted her weird with quiet dignity.
  • The poet wrote of a weird that could not be altered.
  • His weird led him to the battlefield.
  • The tragic weird of the heroine was foretold.
  • Legends speak of a weird that binds all souls.
  • The ancient scroll described the weird of kings.

Common mistakes

Modern speakers often apply the archaic noun sense incorrectly or mix it with the adjective meaning.
IncorrectCorrect
She couldn't change her weird. She couldn't change her fate.
His weird was cruel. His destiny was cruel.
The weird of the hero is unknown. The fate of the hero is unknown.
Weird decided his path. Fate decided his path.

Similar words

fate
destiny
lot
doom
providence
kismet

Supernatural or uncanny realm

noun
literary
neutral
The realm of the mysterious, uncanny, or supernatural, often referred to as “the weird” in folklore and fantasy.

Usage

Use weird to refer to the realm of the uncanny or supernatural, especially in folklore, fantasy, or horror contexts.

Examples

  • Legends whisper of a weird where shadows come alive.
  • The ancient tome described the weird beyond the veil.
  • Travelers feared the weird that lingered in the ruins.
  • A portal to the weird opened beneath the moon.
  • The story's climax took place in the weird.
  • She felt a chill as she stepped into the weird.
  • Artifacts from the weird were displayed in the museum.

Common mistakes

The noun sense is sometimes used as a simple adjective or confused with the ordinary meaning of strange.
IncorrectCorrect
He entered the weird of the forest. He entered the uncanny realm of the forest.
The weird was haunted. The uncanny realm was haunted.
She studied weird in class. She studied the supernatural in class.
Weird creatures roamed the night. Uncanny creatures roamed the night.

Similar words

uncanny
eerie
otherworldly
supernatural
ghostly
spooky

Usage

Use weird for odd or uncanny things, reserve the noun sense for fate in literary contexts, and the supernatural sense for folklore or fantasy realms.

Common mistakes

The adjective is often misused as an adverb, and the archaic noun sense is mistakenly applied in modern speech.

Etymology

From Old English wyrd ‘fate, destiny’, originally meaning the power that controls events; the sense of ‘odd or uncanny’ developed in the 19th century.

FAQ

What does weird mean as an adjective?

Weird describes something markedly odd, unusual, or out of the ordinary.

How is weird used as a noun meaning fate?

In older literary works, weird refers to a person's destiny or the force that controls events.

Can weird refer to a supernatural realm?

Yes, weird can denote the uncanny or supernatural realm, especially in folklore and fantasy.

Is it correct to say "weirdly" instead of "weird"?

Use weird as an adjective; the adverb form is weirdly, which has a different meaning.

What are common synonyms for weird?

Synonyms include odd, strange, unusual, bizarre, peculiar, and eerie.

What are common antonyms for weird?

Antonyms are normal and ordinary.

Where does the word weird come from?

It comes from Old English wyrd, meaning fate or destiny, later extending to mean odd or uncanny.

Comments & contributions

Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
Posting as a guest · Sign in
No comments yet. Be the first to add one.
Look up word or phrase...