English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
Login Flashcards
adj B1 Intermediate Very common

weird

WEERD
Quiz me More like this

Weird (adj) means Strange, unusual, or hard to explain; not what you would normally expect. Example: “It's weird that the shop is closed in the middle of the afternoon.”

adj
1
Strange, unusual, or hard to explain; not what you would normally expect.
"It's weird that the shop is closed in the middle of the afternoon."
"There was a weird smell coming from the fridge."
"It felt weird going back to my old school after all these years."
2
Eerie or unsettling in a way that suggests something supernatural.
"A weird silence fell over the woods, as if something was watching us."
"The villagers told weird stories about lights moving across the marsh."
"The abandoned house had a weird, unsettling atmosphere at night."

How to use weird

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishOut of the ordinary in a way that catches your attention — odd, unexpected, or a little unsettling.

Memory tip

In casual speech, "weird" is often just a mild way of saying something is unusual, not necessarily bad — "that's weird" can be said with curiosity rather than alarm.

Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
weir →
Common pairings
a weird feeling weird noise act weird weird coincidence
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like weird.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice

Word forms

Plural
weirds
Third person singular
weirds
Past tense
weirded
Comparative
weirder
Superlative
weirdest
Test yourself on “weird” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

It's _____ that the shop is closed in the middle of the afternoon.

Etymology

From Old English wyrd, "fate" or "destiny." The word originally referred to fate itself — Shakespeare's "Weird Sisters" in Macbeth were literally the Sisters of Fate. The modern sense of "strange" grew out of how eerie and otherworldly that idea seemed.

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

View more →
strange odd unusual bizarre peculiar uncanny offbeat eldritch unearthly

Antonyms

regular common

Related words

public general community common park green individual august

Frequently asked questions

What does “weird” mean?
The word “weird” means strange, unusual, or hard to explain; not what you would normally expect. In plain terms, out of the ordinary in a way that catches your attention — odd, unexpected, or a little unsettling.
How do you pronounce “weird”?
“Weird” is pronounced WEERD (/ˈwiɚd/ in IPA).
How do you use “weird” in a sentence?
Here is “weird” used in a sentence: “There was a weird smell coming from the fridge.”
What part of speech is “weird”?
“Weird” is an adjective.
Where does the word “weird” come from?
The word “weird” comes from Old English.
Is “weird” a common word?
“Weird” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “weird” have?
“Weird” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: strange, unusual, or hard to explain; not what you would normally expect.
What is the difference between weird and strange?
The two are near-synonyms, but weird often carries a stronger, more unsettling or eerie edge, while strange is milder and simply means unfamiliar or unexpected. Something can be pleasantly strange, whereas weird more readily suggests something oddly off, uncanny, or hard to place. Weird feels the more loaded of the pair.
Is weird a negative word?
Not always. It can be mildly critical, but people also use weird affectionately or playfully, as in weird and wonderful, or embrace being weird as a mark of individuality. Tone and context decide whether it sounds like a complaint or a compliment, so the same word can flatter or fault.
What is the origin of the word weird?
Weird comes from the Old English wyrd, meaning fate or destiny. Shakespeare's weird sisters in Macbeth were the fates who shaped Macbeth's future. Over time the sense drifted from supernatural to uncanny, and finally to today's everyday meaning of simply strange, unusual, or hard to explain.
What is the opposite of weird?
Opposites include normal, ordinary, usual, conventional, and typical. Where weird marks something as odd or unexpected, its antonyms describe what is familiar, everyday, and in line with what people generally expect. Mundane also works well when the emphasis falls on dull, unremarkable ordinariness rather than simple normality.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include weird:

5 letter words Words that end with D Words that start with W B1 vocabulary words The 2000 most common English words The 5000 most common English words

People also searched

public general community common park green individual august