funnily

IPA/ˈfʌnəli/
IPA/ˈfʌnəli/

funnily — adverb

1. in a way that is unusual, odd, or not normal — making you feel that something is

1.adverbB1
Definition

in a way that is unusual, odd, or not normal — making you feel that something is wrong or curious without being able to say exactly why

Example

The washing machine started making a funnily loud noise last night.

Christopher looked at me funnily when I said the word 'frog' in that tone.

collocation: look at someone funnily

Common collocations
  • look at someone funnily
  • act funnily
  • behave funnily
  • run funnily
  • sound funnily
  • walk funnily
  • move funnily
Synonyms
  • strangely

    most neutral and widely used; replaces funnily in formal contexts

  • oddly

    very close in meaning; common in both speech and writing

  • curiously

    slightly more formal; emphasises that something makes you want to know more

  • weirdly

    more informal and stronger; suggests something is unsettling or hard to explain

Antonyms
  • normally

    opposite meaning — in an ordinary or expected way

  • ordinarily

    slightly more formal than 'normally'

Grammar Patterns

adverb modifying a verb or clause

sentence adverb introducing a surprising fact ('Funnily enough, …')

Usage Note

In the fixed phrase 'funnily enough', the word does NOT mean 'in an amusing way'. Instead it signals that what follows is surprising or ironic — much like 'strangely enough' or 'curiously'. This is the most frequent use of funnily in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

The joke was funnily enough to make everyone laugh.
The joke was funny enough to make everyone laugh.
'funnily enough' is a fixed phrase meaning 'strangely enough', not a comparison of degree.
Idioms

funnily enough

idiom

This phrase introduces something that is surprising or unexpected.

Funnily enough, the lost cat returned home after three months.

Did you know that funnily enough, both twins chose the same career?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four adverbs describe something that deviates from what is normal or expected, but they differ in register and connotation. 'Strangely' is the most neutral and versatile — it works in any register ('She was acting strangely'). 'Oddly' is very similar but slightly more detached, as if the speaker is merely noticing an irregularity ('He was dressed oddly for a job interview'). 'Curiously' adds a note of intellectual interest or mild wonder ('Curiously, no one asked any questions'), making it a good choice for formal or written contexts. 'Weirdly' is the most informal and carries a stronger sense of personal discomfort or unease ('The soup tasted weirdly sweet'). In everyday conversation, 'funnily' overlaps most with 'strangely' and 'weirdly', but the fixed phrase 'funnily enough' has no exact synonym — you would say 'Strangely enough' or 'Oddly enough' instead.

strangely ↗oddly ↗curiously ↗weirdly ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

Etymology

GermanicMiddle EnglishEarly Modern EnglishEnglish

Funnily is formed by adding the adverb suffix -ly to the adjective funny. Funny itself comes from the noun fun (meaning 'amusement' or 'enjoyment') plus the adjective suffix -y. The noun fun traces back to Middle English fon, which meant 'a foolish person'. Over time the meaning shifted from 'foolish' to 'comical, amusing' (1700s) and then to 'strange, odd' (1800s), giving funnily the dual flavour of oddness that it carries today.