1
as in mysterious
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in superhuman
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in eerie
fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic
uncanny and unexpected shadows along the mountainsides
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of uncanny
However, the on-screen adaptation didn't quite make the connection for the character's uncanny disguise.
—
Sara Belcher, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Jaafar Jackson does bear an uncanny resemblance to his late uncle, and clearly knows how to replicate his signature moves, his physical fluidity, his beaming smile reserved for fans, animals, and hospital residents.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
Juxtaposed to Colman Domingo’s blustering portrayal of Joe Jackson and Jaafar Jackson’s uncanny performance as his late uncle Michael, Long has found a way to make silence load-bearing.
—Zeba Blay, SELF, 21 Apr. 2026
In several flashback scenes, the twins share endearing sibling chemistry, but the present-day Sebastian gives off a disturbing, uncanny vibe.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uncanny
Sara Belcher, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Jaafar Jackson does bear an uncanny resemblance to his late uncle, and clearly knows how to replicate his signature moves, his physical fluidity, his beaming smile reserved for fans, animals, and hospital residents.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
Juxtaposed to Colman Domingo’s blustering portrayal of Joe Jackson and Jaafar Jackson’s uncanny performance as his late uncle Michael, Long has found a way to make silence load-bearing.
—Zeba Blay, SELF, 21 Apr. 2026
In several flashback scenes, the twins share endearing sibling chemistry, but the present-day Sebastian gives off a disturbing, uncanny vibe.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uncanny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncanny
Adjective
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But when a mysterious aircraft sinks into the ocean, Ally’s peaceful world is suddenly thrown into danger and is thrust into a journey real-life marine creatures as the film explores themes of friendship and courage.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
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The Last House is about a family of four who are suddenly sealed inside their home with no way out and must work together to survive against both their dwindling resources and the mysterious, looming threat keeping them trapped.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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And typing and talking have both been automated to a superhuman level by AI.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
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Sure, injuries could change things, or maybe there is some sort of superhuman game that a guy has to at least give the other team a bit of hope.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The singer slowed down the track a bit by adding an acoustic guitar, a pedal steel guitar, and switching out the eerie flute notes for a piano.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
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The 2026 Wagner New Play Festival kicks off today at UC San Diego, with three new works by MFA plywriting candidates on topics ranging from caveman romance to self-identity to an eerie high school ritual.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But even in its most opposing moments, from its depths of disintegration to its peaks of pattern-building, Spirals/Viral has a cryptic unity.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
24 Apr. 2026
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George traces mentalism back to the Oracle of Delphi in ancient Greece, who purported to deliver divine — and cryptic — messages from Apollo.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In my own haze of 'round-the-clock feeds and first-time-parent anxiety, my mom seemed something of a miraculous blur.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
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The Atlanta Hawks guard had just led a miraculous comeback in Game 2 of a first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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While its 209-minute runtime may be daunting, the film moves along at an entertaining clip (thanks in part to master editor Thelma Schoonmaker), and the viewer's patience is rewarded with a haunting conclusion that recontextualizes all that came before.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
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The 2019 overdose death of aspiring personal trainer Cody McLaury was found to have a haunting connection to Perry.—
Jack Hannah,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The mystic chords that bind us together matter more than any policy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
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Operating within those parameters, the mystic outlands trend extends to some of the world’s most mesmerizing corners.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Yura’s nemeses, who are part of her elderly father’s underwater court, seem to be after her magical flute, an ancient device that controls their kingdom’s dragon.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
1 May 2026
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When their fort reveals a magical ability to transport them to worlds across the globe, the girls embark on a whirlwind adventure that brings them closer again.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Uncanny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncanny. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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