That's curious

USAGE SUMMARY

"That's curious" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when something has piqued your curiosity or to express surprise. For example: "I heard a noise coming from the attic. That's curious."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Referring to this, fellow host Rosie O'Donnell said: "There was a settlement, so that's the thing that's curious".

Independent

Now that everyone at school is used to Mrs. Goldstein, it's the outside world that's curious.

The New York Times

I just think that we now have a large educated audience that's curious without necessarily being committed — that isn't really a laity but more a readership.

The New Yorker

Their appeal has attracted an upscale audience that's curious about the beverage and how it compares with wine health-wise.

Forbes

"It's a lovely curiosity - one of the things that's curious to people is the fine for the book in 1958 was 2d a week.

BBC

He painted a picture of a business — Sun Life — that's curious about the potential of digital-only services and keen to see what a startup — Bowtie — can do with a leaner and more agile model.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

THROUGH eyes as blank as a tilapia's Stephen and Timothy Quay contemplate a world that is curious, doubtful, beastly and deranged.

The New York Times

There's one thing about the Guwahati incident that is curious.

The New York Times

"I think that being curious is something that we don't have a lot of in the ballet world".

The New York Times - Arts

"After 20 years of continuous growth in pay-TV, that is curious to say the least.

The Guardian

We're also heard a lot of interest from [microbiome] companies that are curious about investors.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "That's curious" to express mild surprise or intrigue, especially when something deviates from the norm but isn't necessarily alarming or negative.

Common error

Avoid using "That's curious" excessively in formal writing. While acceptable, it may come across as slightly informal. Opt for more formal alternatives like "That is noteworthy" or "It is interesting to note" for a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "That's curious" functions as an interjection or a short declarative statement expressing surprise or mild intrigue. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It often serves as a conversational opener to indicate something is noteworthy or unexpected, prompting further investigation or discussion.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Wiki

13%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "That's curious" is a versatile phrase used to express mild surprise or intrigue, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Grammatically correct and commonly used, it functions as a declarative statement prompting further thought or discussion. While frequently found in news and media, it's important to consider the context and opt for more formal alternatives like "That is noteworthy" in academic or professional settings. Alternatives like "that's strange" or "that's peculiar" offer similar expressions with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

That's peculiar

Replaces "curious" with "peculiar", indicating something is odd or strange.

That's strange

Substitutes "curious" with "strange", implying something unusual or unexpected.

That's odd

Uses "odd" instead of "curious", suggesting something is out of the ordinary.

That's interesting

Replaces "curious" with "interesting", focusing more on the engaging aspect rather than surprise.

That's remarkable

Emphasizes the noteworthy aspect of the situation, suggesting it's worth paying attention to.

How unusual

Shifts the sentence structure to express surprise at the uncommon nature of something.

That's noteworthy

Highlights that something is deserving of attention or notice.

That's unexpected

Focuses on the surprise element, indicating something wasn't anticipated.

It piques my curiosity

Expresses that something is stimulating one's interest or inquisitiveness.

I find that intriguing

Indicates the speaker finds something fascinating or arousing interest.

FAQs

How can I use "That's curious" in a sentence?

"That's curious" is used to express mild surprise or intrigue. For example, "I can't find my keys anywhere. "That's curious", I just had them."

What's a more formal alternative to "That's curious"?

In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "That is noteworthy", "It is interesting to note", or "That is peculiar" as more appropriate substitutes for "That's curious".

Is "That's curious" suitable for academic writing?

While grammatically correct, "That's curious" might be perceived as too informal for academic writing. Opt for more formal language to maintain a professional tone.

What's the difference between "That's curious" and "That's strange"?

Both phrases express surprise, but "That's strange" often implies something is unusual or out of the ordinary, potentially even negative. "That's curious" suggests mild intrigue or interest without necessarily implying something negative. The nuances depend on context.