strange

UK: /ˈstreɪndʒ/ US: /streɪndʒ/ ,(strānj)

Inflections of 'strange' (adj):

stranger

adj comparative

strangest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

strange /streɪndʒ/   adj., strang•er, strang•est, adv. 
adj. 

1. causing a feeling of curiosity or wonder;
   odd:
   puzzled by her strange behavior.
   [It + be + ~ + (that) clause]
   It was strange that there was no one to meet us.
   [it + be + ~ + to + verb]
   It was strange to be the boss over someone who had once been my boss.
2. alienated:
   We all felt strange in that city.
3. being outside of one's experience;
   unfamiliar;
   foreign:
   It was hard for them to move to a strange place.
4. not accustomed;
   not used to:
   [be + ~ + to] I'm strange to his ways.

adv. 

5. in a strange manner:
   They sure acted strange when we said hello.

strange•ly, adv.: 

The machine is acting strangely.

strange•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

strange  (strānj), adj., strang•er, strang•est, adv. 
adj. 

1. unusual, extraordinary, or curious;
   odd;
   queer:
   a strange remark to make.
2. estranged, alienated, etc., as a result of being out of one's natural environment:
   In Bombay I felt strange.
3. situated, belonging, or coming from outside of one's own locality;
   foreign:
   to move to a strange place; strange religions.
4. outside of one's previous experience;
   hitherto unknown;
   unfamiliar:
   strange faces; strange customs.
5. unaccustomed to or inexperienced in;
   unacquainted (usually fol. by to):
   I'm strange to this part of the job.
6. distant or reserved;
   shy.

adv. 

7. in a strange manner.

• Latin extrāneus; see extraneous
• Old French estrange
• Middle English 1250–1300

strange′ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. bizarre, singular, abnormal, anomalous.
  Strange, peculiar, odd, queer refer to that which is out of the ordinary.
  Strange implies that the thing or its cause is unknown or unexplained; it is unfamiliar and unusual:
  a strange expression.
  That which is peculiar mystifies, or exhibits qualities not shared by others:
  peculiar behavior.
  That which is odd is irregular or unconventional, and sometimes approaches the bizarre:
  an odd custom.
  Queer sometimes adds to odd the suggestion of something abnormal and eccentric:
  queer in the head.
• 6. aloof.

Antonyms

• 4. –6. familiar.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

strange / streɪndʒ/ adjective

1. odd, unusual, or extraordinary in appearance, effect, manner, etc; peculiar
2. not known, seen, or experienced before; unfamiliar
3. not easily explained
4. (usually followed by to) inexperienced (in) or unaccustomed (to): strange to a task
5. not of one's own kind, locality, etc; alien; foreign
6. shy; distant; reserved
7. strange to say ⇒ it is unusual or surprising that
8. denoting a particular flavour of quark
9. denoting or relating to a hypothetical form of matter composed of such quarks: strange matter, a strange star

adverb

1. in a strange manner

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French estrange, from Latin extrāneus foreign; see extraneous

ˈstrangely adverb