quirky

1 of 2

adjective

ˈkwər-kē 

quirkier; quirkiest

: having many quirks : unusual in especially an interesting or appealing way

a quirky sense of humor

quirky ideas/behavior

a quirky and creative artist

… the SoHo store known for its modern, often quirky home accessories …

—Marianne Rohrlich

The result is an extraordinarily fine film, a quieter, more centered vision of Garp's world that loses little of the quirky humor of the original …

—Molly Haskell

quirkily

ˈkwər-kə-lē 

adverb

His political ideas, which had seemed quirkily brilliant in the 1900's …

—Wilfrid Sheed

… he is gregarious and energetic and … enjoys a quirkily methodical, omnivorous turn of mind …

—Cullen Murphy

quirkiness

ˈkwər-kē-nəs 

noun

… is gaining international prominence in interior-design circles simply because its content diverges with typically English quirkiness, from that of its competitors.

—John Duka

quirkiness

2 of 2

noun

quirk·​i·​ness -kēnə̇s 

plural -es

: the quality or state of being quirky

Synonyms of quirky

Adjective

• bizarre
• funny
• strange
• weird
• odd
• curious
• peculiar
• eccentric
• erratic
• remarkable
• unusual
• crazy

Examples of quirky in a Sentence

Adjective

the waitress styles her hair in a quirky way that always gets her remembered by customers

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Set the scene The Homestead screams quirky, artful, and vintage yet restored—capturing a whimsical, fairytale ambiance embellished with hints of Southern charm. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Sharon Raydor, played by Mary McDonnell, in charge of her team, an endearing, quirky crew of veteran detectives who show up en masse at every crime scene like Mystery Incorporated. — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Hublot and Jeff Koons dropped a collection of quirky and colorful Classic Fusions shaped like the artist’s famous Balloon Dog sculpture and a bonkers six-figure tourbillon. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2026

Treat it as an excuse to wear more outspoken pieces from here on out, whether this implies bright-and-striped sweaters or fuzzy, quirky boat shoes. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1873, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quirky

• jerky
• murky
• perky
• turki