strange/weird/odd

Question

Would you please tell me what makes them different in meaning?Thank you

Paul Evdokimov · Accepted Answer

Nothing. They are the synonyms if used to denote something strange and bizarre.

Anonymous · Answer

These three words have a similar meaning: unusual, offbeat, out-of-the-ordinary, puzzling, etc. But they are typically used differently and are usually not interchangeable. Some examples of usage:

"A strange (that is, never-seen-before, never-met-before) man approached me." Here "strange man" has the sense only of "stranger." There would not necessarily be anything odd about him. So weird and odd cannot be used here.

"A weird man wearing a clown suit approached me." Wearing a clown suit on the street is very unusual and would qualify the man as "weird." Strange and odd are possible here, but "weird" conveys the appearance of the man best of the three words.

"An odd man dressed in a tuxedo and with a contorted look on his face approached me." Wearing a tux on the street is a little odd. And walking around with your face contorted is even odder. So "odd" would convey the man's appearance best of the three words.

strange/weird/odd

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