strange
straynj
Strange (adjective) means Unusual, odd, or surprising, and not what you would expect. Example: “There was a strange smell coming from the basement.”
adjective
1
Unusual, odd, or surprising, and not what you would expect.
"There was a strange smell coming from the basement."
"It felt strange going back to the old house after all these years."
"The old clock made a strange ticking noise at midnight."
2
Unfamiliar; not previously known or experienced.
"She woke up in a strange city with no idea where she was."
"Being in a strange place made the child cling to his mother."
"Everything felt new to him among strange faces and streets."
How to use strange
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOdd, unfamiliar, or hard to explain.
Common pairings
strange feeling
strange noise
act strange
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Word forms
- Plural
- stranges
- Third person singular
- stranges
- Past tense
- stranged
- Comparative
- stranger
- Superlative
- strangest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
There was a _____ smell coming from the basement.
Etymology
From Old French "estrange," from Latin "extraneus" ("that which is on the outside") — the same root as "extraneous" and "estrange."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for strange
See all rhymes for strange →Frequently asked questions
What does “strange” mean?
The word “strange” means unusual, odd, or surprising, and not what you would expect. In plain terms, odd, unfamiliar, or hard to explain.
How do you pronounce “strange”?
“Strange” is pronounced straynj (/stɹeɪnd͡ʒ/ in IPA).
How do you use “strange” in a sentence?
Here is “strange” used in a sentence: “There was a strange smell coming from the basement.”
What is another word for “strange”?
Words with a similar meaning to “strange” include aberrant, abnormal, alien, anomalous, as queer as Dick's hatband and bizarre.
What is the opposite of “strange”?
The opposite of “strange” — its antonyms — are common, familiar, inevitable, intermediate and moderate.
What part of speech is “strange”?
“Strange” is an adjective.
Where does the word “strange” come from?
The word “strange” comes from Latin. From Old French "estrange," from Latin "extraneus" ("that which is on the outside") — the same root as "extraneous" and "estrange.".
Is “strange” a common word?
“Strange” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between strange and weird?
The two are close, and often interchangeable, but weird tends to feel stronger and more unsettling. Strange simply means unusual or unexpected, and can be quite mild — a strange noise, a strange coincidence. Weird often adds a sense of the eerie or downright bizarre. All weird things are strange, but not all strange things are weird.
What is the opposite of strange?
The usual opposites are normal, ordinary and familiar. Something that behaves exactly as expected is unremarkable or typical, while a person or place you know well feels familiar rather than strange. Which antonym fits depends on the sense: 'normal' counters oddness, while 'familiar' counters the feeling of something being unknown.
Is strange a negative word?
Not necessarily. Strange is largely neutral and simply marks something as unusual or unexpected. Tone and context decide its colour: a 'strange feeling' can be unsettling, yet 'strangely beautiful' is a compliment. It can signal mild unease, curiosity or even wonder, so whether it feels negative depends entirely on how it is used.
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