exceptionally unusual

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "exceptionally unusual" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is not only unusual but stands out as being particularly so, emphasizing the degree of rarity or oddity. Example: "The weather this winter has been exceptionally unusual, with temperatures soaring to record highs in January."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

But a career military man with no domestic experience would be an exceptionally unusual profile for Democrats to choose".

The New York Times

At the same time he embarked on an exceptionally unusual renovation, for which he retained the architectural firm of Tracy & Swartwout.

The New York Times

"As a general rule, burials are difficult to detect by geophysical means, so revealing the whole layout of a cemetery, in the way that we have, is exceptionally unusual".

The Guardian

It is these exceptionally unusual circumstances that have made Babar Ahmad's case so controversial.

BBC

"I'm certain they're of exactly the same view that they have a tight squad, they've worked together non-stop for the last three years building up to the World Cup and it would be exceptionally unusual for somebody like Lancaster to want to bring in people from outside".

BBC

Due to Cairo's low rate of precipitation and typically above-freezing winter temperatures, snow is an exceptionally unusual weather phenomenon for the North African city.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Avant garde experiment with an exceptionally vivid and unusual score by Toru Takemitsu?

Huffington Post

Also here was an unusual but exceptionally good grilled Caesar: half a head of romaine grilled and crowned with melted cheese in a caper dressing, served with olive crostini.

The New York Times

Central banks could once again intervene through their experimental combination of exceptionally low policy rates, unusual policy communication and additional balance-sheet purchases.

Huffington Post

You have many millions of bacteria, so it's not too surprising that they vary, the way a big city will tend to have at least a few people with unusual eye color, exceptionally small feet or any other characteristic.

The New York Times

Cows are unusual in having exceptionally long CDR H3 loops and few V regions, but the mechanism for creating diversity is not understood.

Cell

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "exceptionally unusual" to emphasize a degree of rarity or oddity that goes beyond the merely unusual. It's effective when you want to highlight something that stands out significantly from the norm.

Common error

Avoid using "exceptionally unusual" when "unusual" alone suffices. Overusing it can dilute its impact and make your writing sound unnecessarily verbose. Reserve it for truly remarkable instances.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exceptionally unusual" functions as an intensifier (adverb "exceptionally") modifying an adjective ("unusual"). It serves to emphasize the degree to which something deviates from the norm. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's a valid and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "exceptionally unusual" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe something that significantly deviates from the norm. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It finds frequent use in news, media, and scientific contexts, indicating its versatility across various domains. When writing, it's crucial to reserve this phrase for instances where the degree of unusualness is truly remarkable, avoiding overuse in simpler scenarios. Consider alternatives such as "remarkably atypical" or "strikingly uncommon" to maintain impact and precision in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

remarkably atypical

Replaces "unusual" with "atypical" and "exceptionally" with "remarkably", emphasizing the departure from the typical.

singularly peculiar

Substitutes "unusual" with "peculiar" and "exceptionally" with "singularly", suggesting a unique oddness.

strikingly uncommon

Uses "uncommon" instead of "unusual" and "strikingly" for "exceptionally", focusing on the infrequency.

uniquely rare

Replaces "unusual" with "rare", adding more sense of infrequency, and replaced "exceptionally" with uniquely

extraordinarily strange

Replaces "unusual" with "strange" and "exceptionally" with "extraordinarily", increasing the emphasis on the divergence.

decidedly out of the ordinary

Emphasizes a clear departure from what is normal or expected.

patently aberrant

Focuses on the deviation from an accepted standard or norm.

distinctively odd

Highlights the noticeable and peculiar nature of something.

conspicuously divergent

Stresses the obvious and noticeable difference from the norm.

noticeably different

Emphasizes the observable variation from what is typical or expected.

FAQs

How can I appropriately use "exceptionally unusual" in a sentence?

Use "exceptionally unusual" to describe something that is not only uncommon but also remarkably strange or rare. For instance, "The weather this year has been "exceptionally unusual", with record-breaking temperatures".

What are some alternatives to saying "exceptionally unusual"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "remarkably atypical", "strikingly uncommon", or "extraordinarily strange" to convey a similar meaning.

Is there a difference between "unusual" and "exceptionally unusual"?

"Unusual" describes something that deviates from the norm, while ""exceptionally unusual"" emphasizes that the deviation is particularly significant or striking.

When is it best to use "exceptionally unusual" over other similar phrases?

Use ""exceptionally unusual"" when you want to highlight a significant degree of rarity or oddity. If the situation is simply uncommon without being particularly striking, "unusual" may suffice.