Synonyms for

Uncanny

Verb / ʌˈnkæni: / Another word for uncanny — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

Strange or mysterious, especially in an unsettling way.

Synonyms & similar words

preternatural weird eldritch unearthly eerie spooky weird strange mysterious creepy odd peculiar bizarre unusual abnormal unnatural freaky unsettling haunting ghostly supernatural mystical unearthly otherworldly

Synonyms by register

Formal

eerie supernatural preternatural inexplicable

Informal

spooky weird creepy freaky

Literary

numinous spectral phantasmal

Antonyms

ordinary common familiar normal usual mundane regular

Common collocations

  • uncanny resemblance
  • uncanny ability
  • uncanny accuracy
  • uncanny valley
  • uncanny intuition
  • uncanny coincidence
  • uncanny feeling

Word family

adjective uncanny
adverb uncannily

Usage note

Uncanny often describes something that is strangely familiar or unsettlingly accurate, suggesting a supernatural or inexplicable quality. It is generally used in a formal or literary context.

Example sentences

  1. The old house had an uncanny feeling of being haunted.
  2. I had an uncanny ability to predict the weather.
  3. The uncanny resemblance between the two sisters was astonishing.
  4. The magician's performance was uncanny and left the audience in awe.
  5. The abandoned amusement park had an uncanny atmosphere.

Quotes

  • The uncanny is that class of the frightening which leads back to what is known of old and long familiar.
  • The uncanny is the psychological experience of something strangely familiar.
  • The uncanny valley is the region of negative emotional response towards robots that look and move almost like humans.

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