# eerily

/ˈɪɹəɫi/ (US) · /ˈiəɹɪli/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adverb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/eerily
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

in a way that is very strange or frightening. You use this to describe a feeling that something is not quite right or is very quiet and empty.

For teachers: in a manner that is strange, unsettling, or unnatural. Often used to describe a silence or a situation that feels out of place.

## Examples

- The house was eerily quiet when we arrived.
- The forest was eerily silent, as if the wind had stopped blowing and the animals had disappeared.
- The abandoned factory stood eerily against the bright morning sun, its rusted gates swinging in the wind like the fingers of a ghost.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.