weird
/wɪəd/ (bre, ipa) · /wɪrd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈwird/ (ame, mw)
weird — adjective
- weirdpositive
- weirdercomparative
- weirdestsuperlative
1. Something weird is very unusual in a way that surprises you or makes you feel a
Something weird is very unusual in a way that surprises you or makes you feel a little worried. A weird noise late at night or a weird taste in your mouth are everyday examples of this feeling.
Camille heard a weird noise coming from the attic late at night.
collocation: weird noise / weird feeling / weird taste
Devika thought it was weird that the dog would not eat its food.
pattern: think + it + be + weird + that-clause
A weird thing happened at the bus stop — the same woman walked past three times.
Romi felt a weird sense of calm just before the exam started.
The soup had a weird taste, so Nala decided not to eat any more.
- strange
the most neutral and common alternative; slightly less emotional than 'weird'
- odd
suggests something is unusual in a way that stands out from what is normal
- peculiar
slightly more formal; describes something that is strange in a distinctive or individual way
- bizarre
stronger than 'weird'; describes something extremely strange and shocking
文法句型
it + be + weird + that-clause
find + object + weird
seem + weird
用法筆記
In informal conversation, people often use 'weird' where 'funny' could mean 'strange' rather than 'humorous'. For example, 'That's funny' can be rephrased as 'That's weird' to make it clear you mean 'puzzling, not amusing'.
常見錯誤
2. Weird can also describe something that feels connected to magic, ghosts, or myst
Weird can also describe something that feels connected to magic, ghosts, or mysterious forces that people cannot normally see or explain. A weird glow in an empty house or a weird presence in a dark room are examples.
Putri saw a weird blue light appear in the old temple at night.
collocation: weird + light / glow / shadow — supernatural contexts
Beatriz felt a weird presence in the empty room, as if someone was watching her.
According to local stories, weird things happen in the forest after dark.
A weird coldness filled the cave as Mira found a strange symbol on the wall.
- eerie
describes something strange in a frightening, ghostly way; stronger emotional charge than 'weird'
- uncanny
describes something so strange it feels almost supernatural; often used for coincidences
- mysterious
focuses on the impossibility of explaining something, without necessarily implying magic
- natural
describes what happens according to normal laws of nature
文法句型
seem + weird
weird + noun (light/presence/power)
用法筆記
This sense is distinguished from sense 1 (STRANGE UNUSUAL) by an implication of supernatural or magical causes. If the strangeness could be explained by normal causes (a faulty machine, an unusual coincidence), sense 1 is more appropriate. If the situation suggests ghosts, witchcraft, or forces beyond scientific explanation, sense 2 is the right choice.
常見錯誤
weird — noun
1. In old or literary English, a person's weird is their fate — the events that wil
In old or literary English, a person's weird is their fate — the events that will happen to them, especially those they cannot control. This meaning comes from Old English wyrd, which meant 'destiny'.
The old poem tells of a king who fought his weird until the very end.
archaic literary pattern: one's + weird (= fate)
In medieval stories, a hero often tries to run from his weird but fails.
Scholars study the Old English concept of wyrd as a force that shapes human life.
The character accepts his weird with quiet courage, knowing that it cannot be changed.
文法句型
one's + weird
the + weird + of + noun
用法筆記
This sense is now very rare and used only in literary, historical, or poetic contexts. Modern readers will almost certainly understand 'weird' as an adjective meaning 'strange' rather than a noun meaning 'fate'. When reading older English texts, context clues such as 'his weird' or 'the weird of' signal the archaic noun meaning.
2. In old or literary English, a weird is a person who claims to be able to see the
In old or literary English, a weird is a person who claims to be able to see the future. This sense is best known from Shakespeare's play Macbeth, where three 'weird sisters' are witches who tell the main character what will happen to him.
In Macbeth, the three weird sisters predict that Macbeth will become king of Scotland.
Shakespearean phrase: the weird sisters (= the three witches in Macbeth)
The weird warned the general that danger lay ahead on his journey.
In the old legend, the village weird predicts that the lost prince will return before winter.
In some old tales, a weird appears at a crossroads to tell the future.
- fortune-teller
the modern term for someone who claims to predict the future
- prophet
a person who delivers messages about the future, often in a religious context
- soothsayer
an older word for a fortune-teller, similar in register to the archaic 'weird'
文法句型
the weird sisters
the + weird
用法筆記
This sense is almost exclusively encountered in the phrase 'the weird sisters' from Shakespeare's Macbeth (1606). Outside of discussing the play or other early modern English literature, this meaning is not used in modern English. Do not use 'weird' to mean 'fortune-teller' in contemporary writing — use 'fortune-teller' or 'prophet' instead.