Uncanny — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˌən-ˈka-nē/ un·can·ny

Meaning & Definition of Uncanny

Uncanny (adjective)

  1. seeming to have a supernatural character or origin, eerie, mysterious
  2. being beyond what is normal or expected, suggesting superhuman or supernatural powers
  3. severe, punishing

Uncanny (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain

    "a number of uncanny parallels in the lives of the twins who had been separated at birth"

    similar: arcane, cryptic, deep, enigmatic, impenetrable, inscrutable, mysterious, mystic, occult
    related: dark, darkling, fuzzy, murky, obscure, shadowy, vague, ambiguous, equivocal, imponderable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, unintelligible, unsearchable, inexplicable, unaccountable, unexplainable, unanswerable, unknowable, metaphysical, mystical, numinous, supernatural, abstruse, esoteric, recondite, baffling, befuddling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, disorienting, mystifying, perplexing, puzzling
    near: fathomable, intelligible, understandable, apparent, clear, evident, manifest, obvious, open-and-shut, palpable, patent, perspicuous, plain, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous, unequivocal, unmistakable

  2. being so extraordinary or abnormal as to suggest powers which violate the laws of nature

    "an uncanny gift for knowing when someone, no matter how distant, needed help"

    similar: magical, miraculous, phenomenal, preternatural, superhuman, supernatural, supernormal, transcendent, transcendental, unearthly
    related: bizarre, curious, eerie, far-out, funny, grotesque, kinky, outlandish, out-of-the-way, outrageous, outré, peculiar, quaint, queer, queerish, quirky, remarkable, screwy, strange, wacky, way-out, weird, wild, baffling, bewildering, confounding, mystifying, perplexing, puzzling, shocking, aberrant, atypical, fantastic, flaky, freak, freakish, idiosyncratic, marvelous, prodigious, rare, singular, uncommon, unique, unnatural, unusual, unwonted, unconventional, uncustomary, unorthodox, conspicuous, notable, noticeable, outstanding, prominent, salient, striking
    near: average, commonplace, everyday, garden, ordinary, prosaic, routine, run-of-the-mill, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, workaday, expected, familiar, predictable, common, customary, frequent, habitual, regular, wonted

  3. fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic

    "uncanny and unexpected shadows along the mountainsides"

    similar: creepy, eerie, haunting, spookish, spooky, unearthly, weird
    related: ghastly, ghostlike, ghostly, ghoulish, spectral, bizarre, curious, odd, outlandish, outré, peculiar, quaint, queerish, quirky, unaccustomed, uncommon, unusual, metaphysical, preternatural, supernatural, enigmatic, inscrutable, mysterious, puzzling, dreadful, fearsome, horrible, horrifying, terrible, terrifying
    near: common, commonplace, everyday, normal, ordinary, prosaic, routine, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, natural, expected, familiar, predictable

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Uncanny

The most common words with a similar meaning to Uncanny:

arcane, cryptic, deep, enigmatic, impenetrable, inscrutable, mysterious, mystic, occult, magical, miraculous, phenomenal, preternatural, superhuman, supernatural, supernormal, transcendent, transcendental, unearthly, creepy, eerie, haunting, spookish, spooky, weird

Related Words for Uncanny

dark, darkling, fuzzy, murky, obscure, shadowy, vague, ambiguous, equivocal, imponderable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, unintelligible, unsearchable, inexplicable, unaccountable, unexplainable, unanswerable, unknowable, metaphysical, mystical, numinous, abstruse, esoteric, recondite, baffling, befuddling, bewildering, confounding, confusing

Near Antonyms of Uncanny

fathomable, intelligible, understandable, apparent, clear, evident, manifest, obvious, open-and-shut, palpable, patent, perspicuous, plain, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous, unequivocal, unmistakable, average, commonplace, everyday, garden, ordinary, prosaic, routine, run-of-the-mill, typical, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual

Word Forms of Uncanny

Inflections: uncannier, uncanniest

Derived words: uncannily (adverb), uncanniness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Uncanny

First known use: 1773

Words & Phrases Containing Uncanny

uncanny valley

Frequently Asked Questions about Uncanny

What does "Uncanny" mean?

"Uncanny" means seeming to have a supernatural character or origin, eerie, mysterious. As an adjective, it is defined as: seeming to have a supernatural character or origin, eerie, mysterious. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Uncanny"?

Other words for "Uncanny" include arcane, cryptic, deep, enigmatic, impenetrable, inscrutable, mysterious and mystic. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Uncanny" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Uncanny"?

There are 120 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Uncanny". Common alternatives include arcane, cryptic, deep, enigmatic, impenetrable, inscrutable, mysterious, mystic, occult and magical.

How do you use "Uncanny" in a sentence?

Examples of "Uncanny" in a sentence: "a number of uncanny parallels in the lives of the twins who had been separated at birth"; "an uncanny gift for knowing when someone, no matter how distant, needed help"; "uncanny and unexpected shadows along the mountainsides".

Is "Uncanny" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Uncanny" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Uncanny"?

"Uncanny" is pronounced /ˌən-ˈka-nē/ and divided into syllables as un·can·ny.

What is the origin of the word "Uncanny"?

First known use: 1773.

What is another word for "Uncanny" meaning "being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain"?

When "Uncanny" (adjective) means being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain, synonyms include arcane, cryptic, deep, enigmatic, impenetrable and inscrutable.