ENGLISH
REFERENCE

strange bedfellows

idiom
Meaning

An unusual combination or political alliance.


Origin

first recorded 17th c.

1610, from Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Examples
SIMPLE

Those two rival companies are strange bedfellows in this new project.

CONTEXTUAL

The environmental group and the oil company became strange bedfellows to support the new tax law.

COMPLEX

In the volatile world of local politics, the radical activist and the conservative mayor proved to be strange bedfellows during the recent election.

Anchors to
Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    make strange

    To behave in a shy, uncommunicative, resistant manner when encountering an unfamiliar person or situation.

  2. 02

    strange bird

    An unusual person, especially one with an idiosyncratic personality or peculiar behavioral characteristics.

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