1
a
: a sudden and odd or seemingly pointless idea or turn of the mind
you should be able to stop and go on, and follow this way or that, as the freak takes you—
R. L. Stevenson
R. L. Stevenson
b
: a seemingly capricious action or event
Through an incredible freak of fate they survived the shipwreck.
2
archaic
: a whimsical quality or disposition
3
: one that is markedly unusual or abnormal: such as
a
: a person or animal having a physical oddity and appearing in a circus sideshow
b
slang
(1)
: a sexual deviate
(2)
: a person who uses an illicit drug
a speed freak
c
: hippie
d
: an atypical postage stamp usually caused by a unique defect in paper (such as a crease) or a unique event in the manufacturing process (such as a speck of dirt on the plate) that does not produce a constant or systematic effect
4
a
: an ardent enthusiast
film freaks
b
: a person who is obsessed with something
a control freak
: not natural, normal, or likely
He was the victim of a freak accident.
a freak occurrence
freaked; freaking; freaks
1
: to make greatly distressed, astonished, or discomposed
—often used with out
the news freaked them out
2
: to put under the influence of a psychedelic drug
—often used with out
1
: to withdraw from reality especially by taking drugs
—often used with out
2
: to experience nightmarish hallucinations as a result of taking drugs
—often used with out
3
a
: to behave irrationally or unconventionally under the influence of drugs
—often used with out
b
: to react with extreme or irrational distress or discomposure
—often used with out
freaked; freaking; freaks
: to streak especially with color
silver and mother-of-pearl freaking the intense azure—Robert Bridges †1930
Robert Bridges †1930Synonyms
Examples of freak in a Sentence
Noun
eccentric, artistic types whom many regarded as freaks
I had a terrible rash on my face, and I felt like a freak.
Adjective
He was the victim of a freak accident.
even weather forecasters seemed surprised by the freak hailstorm
Recent Examples on the WebVulture, 28 Jan. 2022
The latest episode of the Fox first responder series saw a freak storm system wreak havoc at a carnival, particularly for a newly single dad, Trevor (Lucifer's D.B. Woodside), who had to be rescued by the 126 twice in one day.
—Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 25 Jan. 2023
Here is the essential guide to making your house clean enough to satisfy your most critical inner neat freak and launch you into summer with a house that actually shines.
—Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 24 Jan. 2023
The menu offers appetizers like hummus, 12-inch pizzas, like the meat freak, made with red sauce, mozzarella, sausage, bacon, pepperoni, grilled chicken and oregano flakes.
—Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 14 Jan. 2023
He has been described as an athletic freak who possesses incredible raw power, strength, speed, and explosion.
—Lance Reisland, cleveland, 11 Jan. 2023
The story of the offseason will be the quarterback competition between athletic freak Jalen Milroe and five-star freshman Ty Simpson.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2023
Dallas News, 19 Oct. 2022
Officials in Kansas say a man has died after he was shot by his dog in a freak hunting accident.
—Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 24 Jan. 2023
Hamlin, 24, fell victim to a freak accident during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals last week when a collision with another player stopped his heart.
—Justin Klawans, The Week, 7 Jan. 2023
It’s just what happens sometimes and it’s just such a freak accident.
—Mohammad Ahmad, cleveland, 4 Jan. 2023
An Army hockey player was cut in the neck in a freak accident during a game at Sacred Heart on Thursday night, leaving a bloody trail on the ice at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 6 Jan. 2023
Her young niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), is on a ski trip with her parents when, in a freak accident, their car is run over by a snowplow.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Jan. 2023
No one can see or hear the ghosts but Samantha, who gained that ability thanks to a head injury suffered in a freak accident.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2022
But the show wisely made Jeevan into Kirsten's guardian for months — until a freak accident separated them for two decades.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2022
Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2024
Robinson, the GOP gubernatorial candidate in a tight race, had especially freaked her out.
—Danielle Paquette, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
Eclipses have been freaking humans out for pretty much forever
By Rachel Feltman
Our oldest visual representation of a solar eclipse could be a fairly innocuous looking mound of stone in County Meath, Ireland called the Loughcrew.
—Popsci Staff, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2024
There's a new cook in the kitchen, but don't freak out
After 10 years with Levy Restaurants, IMS recently named Aramark Sports and Entertainment as its new concessions provider.
—The Indianapolis Star, 28 Mar. 2024
There’s a whole lot of slapping, dancing, freaking out, and reckless driving in the new teaser for Yorgos Lanthimos’ upcoming movie Kinds of Kindness, which is set to hit select theaters on June 21.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
James Crumbley: 'Honey, don't freak out in front of the cops'
Day 4 of the trial started with jurors seeing a bizarre video of the Crumbleys sitting and venting while in the back seat of a police car at 2:50 p.m. on the day of the shooting.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024
Hollywood has plenty of reasons to freak out these days: The rise of artificial intelligence.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2024
If the law treats them as children, then clinics rightly freak out about all that could happen to them during fertility treatments.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
Noun
What prompted the freak-out was Netflix’s warning that growth in the first part of 2022 would be slowing down — way down, as in nearly half of the 2021 Q1 growth.
—Vulture, 28 Jan. 2022
The latest episode of the Fox first responder series saw a freak storm system wreak havoc at a carnival, particularly for a newly single dad, Trevor (Lucifer's D.B. Woodside), who had to be rescued by the 126 twice in one day.
—Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 25 Jan. 2023
Here is the essential guide to making your house clean enough to satisfy your most critical inner neat freak and launch you into summer with a house that actually shines.
—Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 24 Jan. 2023
The menu offers appetizers like hummus, 12-inch pizzas, like the meat freak, made with red sauce, mozzarella, sausage, bacon, pepperoni, grilled chicken and oregano flakes.
—Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 14 Jan. 2023
He has been described as an athletic freak who possesses incredible raw power, strength, speed, and explosion.
—Lance Reisland, cleveland, 11 Jan. 2023
The story of the offseason will be the quarterback competition between athletic freak Jalen Milroe and five-star freshman Ty Simpson.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2023
Adjective
The injury came in freak fashion when running to the second level to deliver a block on a linebacker.
—Dallas News, 19 Oct. 2022
Officials in Kansas say a man has died after he was shot by his dog in a freak hunting accident.
—Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 24 Jan. 2023
Hamlin, 24, fell victim to a freak accident during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals last week when a collision with another player stopped his heart.
—Justin Klawans, The Week, 7 Jan. 2023
It’s just what happens sometimes and it’s just such a freak accident.
—Mohammad Ahmad, cleveland, 4 Jan. 2023
An Army hockey player was cut in the neck in a freak accident during a game at Sacred Heart on Thursday night, leaving a bloody trail on the ice at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 6 Jan. 2023
Her young niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), is on a ski trip with her parents when, in a freak accident, their car is run over by a snowplow.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Jan. 2023
No one can see or hear the ghosts but Samantha, who gained that ability thanks to a head injury suffered in a freak accident.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2022
But the show wisely made Jeevan into Kirsten's guardian for months — until a freak accident separated them for two decades.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2022
Verb
Following the release of the trailer at the end of March, Roberts’ younger sister, Grace, freaked out at her for not sharing the details of the kiss before.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2024
Robinson, the GOP gubernatorial candidate in a tight race, had especially freaked her out.
—Danielle Paquette, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
Eclipses have been freaking humans out for pretty much forever
By Rachel Feltman
Our oldest visual representation of a solar eclipse could be a fairly innocuous looking mound of stone in County Meath, Ireland called the Loughcrew.
—Popsci Staff, Popular Science, 27 Mar. 2024
There's a new cook in the kitchen, but don't freak out
After 10 years with Levy Restaurants, IMS recently named Aramark Sports and Entertainment as its new concessions provider.
—The Indianapolis Star, 28 Mar. 2024
There’s a whole lot of slapping, dancing, freaking out, and reckless driving in the new teaser for Yorgos Lanthimos’ upcoming movie Kinds of Kindness, which is set to hit select theaters on June 21.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
James Crumbley: 'Honey, don't freak out in front of the cops'
Day 4 of the trial started with jurors seeing a bizarre video of the Crumbleys sitting and venting while in the back seat of a police car at 2:50 p.m. on the day of the shooting.
—Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 12 Mar. 2024
Hollywood has plenty of reasons to freak out these days: The rise of artificial intelligence.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2024
If the law treats them as children, then clinics rightly freak out about all that could happen to them during fertility treatments.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'freak.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Freak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freak. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
freak
1 of 3 noun1
a
: a sudden strange idea : whim
b
: a strange, abnormal, or unusual person, thing, or event
2
a
: enthusiast
a movie freak
b
: a person who is obsessed with something
a control freak
freakish
adjective
ˈfrē-kish
freakishly
adverb
freakishness
noun
freak
2 of 3 adjective
: being or suggesting a freak : improbable
a freak accident
freak
3 of 3 verb
: to disturb one's calmness of mind : upset
—usually used with out
the news freaks me out
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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