curiously good

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "curiously good" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is surprisingly or unexpectedly good, often in a way that piques interest or curiosity. Example: "The new restaurant in town serves curiously good dishes that blend flavors in unexpected ways."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

All-female tribute bands are often curiously good at appropriating a genre long considered misogynistic.

The New York Times - Arts

Somewhere along Jermyn Street, or in the aisle at Tesco's, or in the lower Charing Cross Road (a curiously good place for seagulls, with their wailing cries of infinity), I will fix on the one motif that makes the theme.

The Economist

One purported eye-witness even suggested that some of the Black Block were on curiously good terms with the police; such things can happen, but would the police have had to seek out German-speakers, as many in the black overalls were, from hundreds of kilometres away, to act as agents provocateurs?And meanwhile the parties wrangled.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Curiously, goods normally stored at the port were visible all over the streets, including pickup trucks with United Nations logos, with standard relief blankets piled in the back.

The New York Times

When the training data is separable, first-order methods rather curiously have good empirical success, which is not well understood in theory.

University of California, Berkeley

Curiously, despite this good performance, it transpired that DF in fact only ever perceived one direction of motion when presented with two transparent planes of dots moving in opposite directions.

Plosone

Our attitude toward good is curiously noncommittal or halfhearted; we are more used to being told not to commit evil than exhorted to do good.

The New Yorker

Roy added fuel to the fire after "Lemonade" debuted Saturday night with a curiously worded Instagram post ("good hair don't care," it read in part) that she later deleted.

Huffington Post

The restaurant wants everybody to have a good time, yet curiously nobody seems quite sure how to go about it.

The New York Times - Food

Curiously, conservationists say, the same good-neighbor pledge was not extended to coastal states that opposed Interior's proposal to lease federal waters to oil and gas companies with hopes of exploring for those resources offshore.

The Washington Post

Curiously, this is seen as a good thing.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "curiously good" to express a sense of surprise or mild intrigue about something being better than expected. It's suitable when the positive quality is somewhat unexpected or unusual given the context.

Common error

Avoid using "curiously good" excessively in formal or professional writing where a more straightforward adjective might be more appropriate. Overuse can make your writing sound less serious and more whimsical than intended.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "curiously good" primarily functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to describe its quality. It adds a layer of surprise or unexpectedness to the positive attribute. Ludwig confirms this phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "curiously good" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that conveys a sense of unexpected or surprising quality. As Ludwig AI confirms, it suggests that something is better than anticipated, often piquing interest. While relatively rare in overall usage, it finds its niche in news, media, science and academic contexts. When using it, remember to leverage it to add a touch of intrigue, but avoid overuse, especially in formal settings, to maintain a professional tone. Consider alternatives like "surprisingly delightful" or "unexpectedly excellent" to adjust the level of emphasis or formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Surprisingly delightful

Replaces "curiously" with "surprisingly" and "good" with "delightful", emphasizing the pleasant surprise.

Unexpectedly excellent

Substitutes "curiously" with "unexpectedly" and "good" with "excellent", highlighting the unanticipated high quality.

Remarkably fine

Uses "remarkably" instead of "curiously", and "fine" instead of "good", giving a slightly more formal tone.

Oddly satisfying

Replaces "good" with "satisfying" focusing on the pleasant feeling derived from something unexpected.

Strangely wonderful

Emphasizes the unusual nature of the goodness, replacing "curiously" with "strangely" and "good" with "wonderful".

Peculiarly impressive

Uses "peculiarly" to underscore the unique nature of the goodness and "impressive" to indicate the level of quality.

Unaccountably positive

Highlights the lack of clear reason for the positive quality, using "unaccountably" and "positive".

Singularly pleasant

Focuses on the uniqueness and agreeableness of the goodness, using "singularly" and "pleasant".

Inexplicably superior

Highlights the mysterious nature of the superior quality, using "inexplicably" and "superior".

Funilly great

Replace "curiously" with "funnily" and "good" with "great".

FAQs

How can I use "curiously good" in a sentence?

You can use "curiously good" to describe something that is unexpectedly or surprisingly good, such as "The restaurant's new dish was curiously good, blending unexpected flavors harmoniously."

What are some alternatives to "curiously good"?

Alternatives include "surprisingly delightful", "unexpectedly excellent", or "oddly satisfying", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "curiously good" formal or informal?

"Curiously good" is generally considered neutral in tone, suitable for both informal and some formal contexts where a touch of surprise or intrigue is appropriate. However, avoid overusing it in highly formal or technical writing.

What does "curiously" emphasize in the phrase "curiously good"?

The word "curiously" emphasizes the unexpected or surprising nature of the goodness. It suggests that there is something unusual or noteworthy about the positive quality being described.