unique
adjective
yu̇-ˈnēk 
1
: being the only one : sole
his unique concern was his own comfort
I can't walk away with a unique copy. Suppose I lost it?
Kingsley Amis
Kingsley Amisthe unique factorization of a number into prime factors
2
a
: being without a like or equal : unequaled
… he could stare at the flames, each one new, violent, unique … Robert Coover
Robert Coover b
: distinctively characteristic : peculiar sense 1
… this is not a condition unique to California … Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan c
: able to be distinguished from all others of its class or type : distinct sense 1
App Tracking works by Apple assigning a unique identifier to your device. Ben Lovejoy
Ben LovejoyYou will see an assortment of digital tags that let the Web site identify your computer as a unique visitor. Peter H. Lewis
Peter H. LewisThe site sees an average of 227 million unique users per month … West Hartford (Connecticut) News: Web Edition Articles
West Hartford (Connecticut) News: Web Edition Articles3
: unusual
a very unique ball-point pen
… we were fairly unique, the sixty of us, in that there wasn't one good mixer in the bunch. J. D. Salinger
J. D. Salinger uniquely adverb
uniqueness noun
Synonyms
- idiomatic
- individual
- individualized
- particular
- patented
- peculiar
- personal
- personalized
- private
- privy
- separate
- singular
- subjective
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
There are no clear blueprints to be discovered in history that can help us shape the future as we wish. Each historical event is a unique congeries of factors, people, or chronology. Margaret McMillan, Dangerous Games, 2008 [Tiger] Wood's unique skill set was on display again at last week's U.S. Open, but this victory was more visceral. It was all heart. Alan Shipnuck, Sports Illustrated, 23 June 2008 Space is a strange and unique item—you can't take it to a lab and analyze it like beef jerky. Bob Berman, Astronomy, November 2007 A century ago a doctor was considered to be part of a social elite. He—and medicine was then very much a masculine endeavor—had a unique mastery of a special body of knowledge. He professed a commitment to levels of competence and integrity that he expected society to respect and trust. Richard Horton, New York Review of Books, 31 May 2007 Most stars are not born in isolation but instead in groups of several thousand to tens of thousands, all of which emerge from the same parent cloud of gas. Each cloud has a unique and homogeneous mix of chemical elements and isotopes, which its stellar progeny inherits. Even when the stars disperse, they retain their unique chemical tag … Rodrigo Ibata et al., Scientific American, April 2007 As a dozen new books will testify, our nation is in the midst of a great barbecue renaissance, with each region proudly claiming its own unique style. Ruth Reichl, Gourmet, July 2005 She's in the unique position of running for office against her husband. Humans are unique among mammals in several respects. See More
Margaret McMillan, Dangerous Games, 2008 [Tiger] Wood's unique skill set was on display again at last week's U.S. Open, but this victory was more visceral. It was all heart. Alan Shipnuck, Sports Illustrated, 23 June 2008 Space is a strange and unique item—you can't take it to a lab and analyze it like beef jerky. Bob Berman, Astronomy, November 2007 A century ago a doctor was considered to be part of a social elite. He—and medicine was then very much a masculine endeavor—had a unique mastery of a special body of knowledge. He professed a commitment to levels of competence and integrity that he expected society to respect and trust. Richard Horton, New York Review of Books, 31 May 2007 Most stars are not born in isolation but instead in groups of several thousand to tens of thousands, all of which emerge from the same parent cloud of gas. Each cloud has a unique and homogeneous mix of chemical elements and isotopes, which its stellar progeny inherits. Even when the stars disperse, they retain their unique chemical tag … Rodrigo Ibata et al., Scientific American, April 2007 As a dozen new books will testify, our nation is in the midst of a great barbecue renaissance, with each region proudly claiming its own unique style. Ruth Reichl, Gourmet, July 2005 She's in the unique position of running for office against her husband. Humans are unique among mammals in several respects. See More Recent Examples on the Web Lots of billionaires have big plans to give away their wealth (see Gates and Buffett), but Chouinard’s approach is unique. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2022 Ascend says its chemical process is unique because it can be easily modified to supply different types of components. Amrith Ramkumar, WSJ, 14 Sep. 2022 Vasich said Porter’s situation is unique because the university has never had a member of its faculty elected to Congress before. Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2022 Sheer… each one is unique, which leads us to another challenge of beauty journalism: determining which ones are the best. Allure Editors, Allure, 13 Sep. 2022 Carroll’s clothing story isn’t unique; it’s what female lawyers have been fighting for decades in courtrooms, boardrooms and at prisons while trying to visit clients. Ivana Hrynkiw | Ihrynkiw@al.com, al, 12 Sep. 2022 Joey Votto has no issue speaking at length on a variety of topics including his approach at the plate, the parts of baseball that are unique compared to other sports and some off-the-field topics. The Enquirer, 9 Sep. 2022 The experience of presenting there for the first time was unique. Bill Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2022 Of course, every traveler’s situation is unique, and other costs go into a trip beyond just sticker price. Sally French, oregonlive, 7 Sep. 2022 See More
Chloe Berger, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2022 Ascend says its chemical process is unique because it can be easily modified to supply different types of components. Amrith Ramkumar, WSJ, 14 Sep. 2022 Vasich said Porter’s situation is unique because the university has never had a member of its faculty elected to Congress before. Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2022 Sheer… each one is unique, which leads us to another challenge of beauty journalism: determining which ones are the best. Allure Editors, Allure, 13 Sep. 2022 Carroll’s clothing story isn’t unique; it’s what female lawyers have been fighting for decades in courtrooms, boardrooms and at prisons while trying to visit clients. Ivana Hrynkiw | Ihrynkiw@al.com, al, 12 Sep. 2022 Joey Votto has no issue speaking at length on a variety of topics including his approach at the plate, the parts of baseball that are unique compared to other sports and some off-the-field topics. The Enquirer, 9 Sep. 2022 The experience of presenting there for the first time was unique. Bill Jones, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2022 Of course, every traveler’s situation is unique, and other costs go into a trip beyond just sticker price. Sally French, oregonlive, 7 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
French, from Latin unicus, from unus one — more at one
First Known Use
1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing unique
Kids Definition
unique
adjective
yu̇-ˈnēk
1
: being the only one of its kind
Every snowflake is unique.
2
: very unusual : notable
a unique talent
unique
adjective
1
as in personal
of, relating to, or belonging to a single person a comedian who brings a unique and twisted perspective to contemporary social issues Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- personal
- personalized
- subjective
- private
- singular
- distinctive
- individualized
- individual
- patented
- particular
- separate
- peculiar
- idiomatic
- characteristic
- special
- specific
- idiosyncratic
- intimate
- privy
- identifying
- specialized
- custom
- customized
- independent
- express
- nonconformist
- especial
- self-sufficient
- self-directed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- general
- popular
- universal
- generic
- public
- broad
- common
- widespread
- prevalent
- typical
- shared
- normal
- regular
- prevailing
2
as in unusual
being out of the ordinary the restaurant, specializing in fusion cuisine, provides a truly unique dining experience for those who can afford it Synonyms & Similar Words
- unusual
- extraordinary
- exceptional
- rare
- outstanding
- remarkable
- uncommon
- abnormal
- singular
- odd
- incredible
- atypical
- phenomenal
- peculiar
- anomalous
- exceeding
- striking
- noticeable
- aberrant
- freak
- especial
- notable
- prominent
- bizarre
- salient
- strange
- eccentric
- conspicuous
- unwonted
- uncustomary
- extraordinaire
- aberrated
- quaint
- weird
- preternatural
- oddball
- deviant
- outlandish
- incomprehensible
- unimaginable
- inconceivable
- freakish
- unthinkable
- monstrous
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- common
- typical
- ordinary
- normal
- usual
- familiar
- customary
- unextraordinary
- unexceptional
- frequent
- everyday
3
as in only
being the one or ones of a class with no other members the Mapparium, a huge glass globe that visitors can walk through, is unique—there's not another one like it anywhere Synonyms & Similar Words
- only
- one
- lone
- special
- distinctive
- singular
- sole
- solitary
- single
- distinct
- alone
- sui generis
- unparalleled
- one-off
- matchless
- unrivaled
- inimitable
- incomparable
- unequaled
- peerless
- unmatched
- unsurpassable
- unequalled
- unrivalled
- solo
- unsurpassed
- unattended
- individual
- unaccompanied
- separate
- nonce
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- varied
- myriad
- multifarious
- mixed
- miscellaneous
- manifold
- popular
- heterogenous
- assorted
- prevalent
- promiscuous
- prevailing
- patchwork
- recurrent
- divers
- motley
- perennial
- rampant
- repeated
4
as in uncommon
noticeably different from what is generally found or experienced a unique ability to add large sums in his head Synonyms & Similar Words
- unusual
- uncommon
- funny
- strange
- rare
- extraordinary
- weird
- peculiar
- odd
- curious
- special
- offbeat
- singular
- bizarre
- remarkable
- exceptional
- eccentric
- oddball
- atypical
- abnormal
- unaccustomed
- out-of-the-way
- noteworthy
- uncustomary
- outlandish
- particular
- queer
- notable
- noticeable
- outré
- kooky
- newsworthy
- aberrant
- kookie
- far-out
- way-out
- irregular
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- common
- ordinary
- usual
- plain
- typical
- familiar
- normal
- regular
- unexceptional
- predictable
- expected
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of unique are eccentric, erratic, odd, outlandish, peculiar, quaint, singular, and strange. While all these words mean "departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected," unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel.
a career unique in the annals of science
While in some cases nearly identical to unique, eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior.
the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers
The meanings of erratic and unique largely overlap; however, erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating.
a friend's suddenly erratic behavior
The words odd and unique are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected.
an odd sense of humor
In some situations, the words outlandish and unique are roughly equivalent. However, outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric.
outlandish fashions of the time
The synonyms peculiar and unique are sometimes interchangeable, but peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness.
the peculiar status of America's first lady
Although the words quaint and unique have much in common, quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness.
a quaint fishing village
The words singular and unique can be used in similar contexts, but singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness.
a singular feeling of impending disaster
While the synonyms strange and unique are close in meaning, strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable.
a journey filled with strange sights