as in unusual
being out of the ordinary
even weather forecasters seemed surprised by the freak hailstorm
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in anomaly
a person, thing, or event that is far from normal
that snowstorm in April was a freak, since our weather is usually much balmier by then
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2
as in lover
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
I'm a hockey freak
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3
as in whim
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
suddenly had the bizarre freak to take a road trip across the country
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4
as in addict
slang
a person who regularly uses drugs especially illegally
he knew that he'd never get his life in order if he continued to hang out with the crystal meth freaks
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of freak
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 6 Jan. 2023
It’s just what happens sometimes and it’s just such a freak accident.
—Mohammad Ahmad, cleveland, 4 Jan. 2023
Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 24 Dec. 2025
That includes Claire losing part of her leg in a freak car accident and Mike dying in 2006 at age 55 from cardiac issues.
—Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for freak
Adjective
An Army hockey player was cut in the neck in a freak accident during a game at Sacred Heart on Thursday night, leaving a bloody trail on the ice at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport.
—Noun
This was his fifth season, and this eye injury had been a freak accident.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for freak
Adjective
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This translation by Nancy Naomi Carlson preserves the rich musicality of the original French, as well as its frequent use of wordplay and often unusual word choice.—
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Ostrich Leather Recognizable by its distinctive quill pattern and supple texture, ostrich leather combines durability with an unusual kind of beauty.—
Noun
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History shows that muses are not anomalies, and their stories are instructive for us now.—
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The vervet monkey is not an anomaly.—
Noun
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For the third year, restaurants in Hayward are enticing food lovers with the opportunity to save money while discovering new places and revisiting old favorites.—
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Leigh Lucas’ book of poetry reckons with the death of a lover.—
Noun
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Leven is still at the whims of the macroeconomic climate plaguing restaurants in recent years.—
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As for whether whims like that need to be indulged, Mayer, perhaps not surprisingly, is on the side of the talent.—
Noun
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Ardila, who describes himself as a recovering addict, attended his first Narcotics Anonymous meeting at the center in 2022, through its Rainbow Recovery program, and received rental assistance from the organization during a period of unemployment.—
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AlAnon is a support group for family and friends of alcoholics/addicts.—
Adjective
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Packed with extraordinary gorilla behavior never filmed before, this is a story of hope and joy.—
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Johnson’s ability to rapidly guide the Bears here registers as extraordinary.—
Noun
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Americans are being urged to be extra vigilant this winter, as a suite of influenza A mutations has created a dominant virus strain that's spreading more rapidly and evading our natural and therapeutic abilities to fight infection.—
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The mutation, known as Subclade K, now makes up most of the flu viruses detected in the United States.—
Noun
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As the humpback plunges back below the surface the remoras, also known as sucker fish, return to the whale, sticking their landings with the timing and precision of Olympic gymnasts.—
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Remove any canes that are crossing or rubbing against each other, as well as any suckers that have formed.—
Cite this Entry
“Freak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freak. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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