bizarre

1 of 2

adjective

bi·​zarre bə-ˈzär How to pronounce bizarre (audio)
Synonyms of bizarre
: strikingly out of the ordinary: such as
a
: odd, extravagant, or eccentric in style or mode
His behavior was bizarre.
bizarre stories
a bizarre outfit
b
: involving sensational contrasts or incongruities
the bizarre timidity of a tall, strapping young man
bizarrely adverb
bizarreness noun

bizarre

2 of 2

noun

botany : a flower with atypical striped marking

Synonyms of bizarre

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Adjective

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fantastic, bizarre, grotesque mean conceived, made, or carried out without adherence to truth or reality.

fantastic may connote extravagance in conception or ingenuity of decorative invention.

dreamed up fantastic rumors

bizarre applies to the sensationally strange and implies violence of contrast or incongruity of combination.

a bizarre medieval castle in the heart of a modern city

grotesque may apply to what is conventionally ugly but artistically effective or it may connote ludicrous awkwardness or incongruity often with sinister or tragic overtones.

grotesque statues on the cathedral
though grieving, she made a grotesque attempt at a smile

Examples of bizarre in a Sentence

Adjective I just heard the most bizarre story. She wore a bizarre outfit.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
The cookie shops have a rotating menu of cookies with elaborate toppings, sometimes offering bizarre flavors such as everything bagel. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 Skerritt co-starred opposite Kathy Baker, playing his doctor wife in the community of Rome, Wisconsin, a place with bizarre happenings, like having a robber leaving a trail of frogs or the pope becoming the primary witness to a murder. — CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 But at the center of this story is a man named Michael Organ who turns out to be a bizarre, seemingly dangerous conman. — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 18 Oct. 2026 What looks like a neon pink treble clef floating out in space is actually a bizarre source of radio waves spotted deep in the cosmos. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bizarre

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French, from Italian bizzarro

Noun

noun derivative of bizarre entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1648, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1753, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bizarre was circa 1648

Rhymes for bizarre

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Browse Nearby Words

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bizarre
bizarrely
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Cite this Entry

“Bizarre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bizarre. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bizarre

adjective
bi·​zarre
bə-ˈzär
: strikingly unusual or odd : fantastic
bizarrely adverb
bizarreness noun
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