Strange
/streɪndʒ/
Definitions
3 meaningsUnusual; not normal; different from what is usual or expected.
/streɪndʒ/
Unusual or unexpected; unfamiliar.
He had a strange feeling that he was being watched.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're at a party and see a person wearing a hat made of fruit. That's strange! It's something you wouldn't expect to see, like a cat talking.
👶 For kids: When something is not normal or different, like seeing a dog that can talk!
More Examples
The music sounded strange to her ears.
They found a strange object in the garden.
How It's Used
"It was a strange coincidence."
"The story involved strange creatures."
Feeling or showing surprise or curiosity.
/streɪndʒ/
Feeling or showing surprise because something is unexpected.
She felt strange when she saw him with another person.
💡 Simply: Ever feel surprised or curious about something? Like when you see someone juggling flaming torches – that's a strange feeling!
👶 For kids: When you feel a little bit surprised or curious about something.
More Examples
It was strange to me to hear him say such things.
It was strange to wake up and not find my keys.
How It's Used
"He expressed a strange mixture of fear and excitement."
To make someone feel estranged or alienated.
/streɪndʒ/
To feel estranged or alienated.
His constant criticism served to strange his family.
💡 Simply: Imagine something causing a drift between you and a friend, making you both feel distant. That's a way to 'strange' a relationship. Like when you start preferring different things.
👶 For kids: To make someone feel like they don't belong anymore.
More Examples
The long separation estranged him from his children.
The political divide began to strange the community members.
How It's Used
"The new job began to strange him from his friends."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
It's a strange world.
Used to express the unusual or unpredictable nature of life.
"After finding a talking dog, all I could say was, 'It's a strange world!'"
stranger danger
A warning to children about the potential danger from unfamiliar adults.
"Parents often teach children about stranger danger."
From Old French estrange, meaning 'foreign, alien.' Ultimately from Latin extraneus ('foreign').
Used extensively in literature from the medieval period onward, with its meaning evolving from 'foreign' to 'unusual'.
Memory tip
Think of something alien or outside the norm.
Word Origin
"foreign, alien"