Word
bizarre
US/bəˈzɑɹ/
UK/bɪzˈɑː/
Definitions
01very strange
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. very strange and unusual, often in a way that is surprising or funny.
adj. strikingly unconventional or far-fetched in style or appearance; often implies a sense of the grotesque or the eccentric.
“The movie had a bizarre ending that nobody in the audience expected.”
“The witness gave a bizarre account of the evening's events, claiming he had seen a glowing object hover over the lake before vanishing into the clouds.”
Antonyms
02striped flower
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical · Archaic
n. a type of flower, like a tulip or carnation, that has colourful stripes on its petals.
n. a variety of flower, particularly a tulip or carnation, characterised by distinct stripes or streaks of different colours on the petals.
“The gardener showed us a bizarre with beautiful purple and white stripes.”
“During the height of the Dutch tulip craze, a single bizarre with unique flamed patterns could fetch a price higher than a townhouse in Amsterdam.”
Usage
Usually refers to historical tulip varieties from the seventeenth century.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “bizarre” in context.
Verb
01. find it bizarre
“I find it bizarre that she hasn't called us back after such an urgent message.”
verb + noun + adj
02. sound bizarre
“I know this might sound bizarre, but I think I've seen this house in a dream before.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. bizarre circumstances
“The police are still investigating the bizarre circumstances surrounding the disappearance.”
adj + noun
04. bizarre twist
“In a bizarre twist of fate, the two rivals ended up working for the same small company.”
adj + noun
Adverb
05. increasingly bizarre
“As the night progressed, his behavior became increasingly bizarre and unpredictable.”
adv + adj
06. truly bizarre
“The witness gave a truly bizarre account of the events that left the jury confused.”
adv + adj
07. utterly bizarre
“It was an utterly bizarre coincidence that we both wore the exact same vintage costume.”
adv + adj
Real-World Examples
“His drive to save money at Old Trafford has been controversial , with staff made redundant and bizarre stories emerging about the ways he and Ineos have tried to cut costs.” “Still, there are twists and turns as we journey onwards, and the play’s finale suggests McVey has far more bizarre things in his brain than a mere disembodied foot.” Etymology
Borrowed from French bizarre (“odd, peculiar, bizarre”, formerly “headlong, angry”). Either from Basque bizar (“a beard”) (the notion being that bearded Spanish soldiers made a strange impression on the French), or from Italian bizzarro.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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