freakish

/ˈfriːkɪʃ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfriːkɪʃ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfrē-kish/ (ame, mw)

freakish — adjective

  • freakishpositive
  • more freakishcomparative
  • most freakishsuperlative

1. so unusual, unexpected, or strange that something seems unnatural or disturbing

1.形容詞C1
釋義

so unusual, unexpected, or strange that something seems unnatural or disturbing — like a snowstorm in July or a four-leaf clover the size of a dinner plate.

例句

A freakish snowstorm hit Miami in June, surprising everyone.

collocation: freakish + extreme weather event

The pumpkin grew to a freakish size of over two hundred kilograms.

同義詞
  • bizarre

    emphasises being very odd or outlandish, but does not necessarily suggest the unnatural flavour of freakish

  • weird

    more common and milder; weird can be pleasantly odd, whereas freakish is almost always unsettling

  • grotesque

    stresses ugliness or distortion, often in appearance rather than in events

反義詞
  • normal

    conforming to the usual standard

  • ordinary

    unremarkable and expected

用法筆記

Frequently modifies nouns describing weather events, physical size, or exceptional ability. Carries a stronger sense of 'unnatural' than unusual or strange.

常見錯誤

❌The movie was so freakish I could not stop laughing.
✅The special effects were so strange I could not stop laughing.
💡freakish implies unnaturally odd, not just funny or weird in a light way.

2. changing suddenly and without any clear reason, so that you cannot predict what

2.形容詞C1
釋義

changing suddenly and without any clear reason, so that you cannot predict what will happen next — most often used of weather, luck, or a person's mood or behaviour.

例句

The weather in spring can be freakish, switching from hot sun to icy rain in minutes.

collocation: freakish weather

Nadia found her uncle's mood too freakish to know when to approach him.

同義詞
  • capricious

    more formal; suggests sudden changes motivated by whim rather than reason

  • fickle

    commoner; implies disloyalty or lack of constancy, often of weather or people's affections

  • erratic

    emphasises irregular, unpredictable movement or behaviour without cause

反義詞
  • steady

    firmly fixed and consistent

  • predictable

    easy to anticipate based on past patterns

用法筆記

This is the older, now rarer sense of freakish. In modern English it is mostly found in literary or formal writing describing weather patterns, market behaviour, or personalities. Most learners will encounter sense 1 far more often.