DictionaryAI

eerie

SayEER-ee/ˈɪɚi//ˈɪəɹi/

Formseerier, eeriest

3 meanings of eerie

Practice

  1. 1
    creepyadjective
    Strange and scary, often in a dark or mysterious way.

    The empty school felt eerie at night.

    We heard an eerie noise coming from the attic.

    UsageOften used for silence, sounds and light: an eerie silence, an eerie noise.

    Similarcreepy, spooky, freaky, bizarre, freakish

    Note
  2. 2
    feeling afraidadjectivedialectalScotland
    Feeling afraid, or easily frightened.
    She began to feel eerie.
    1883, George MacDonald, Donal Grant
    'It is my business to read the hearts o' men,' said the other. 'And who may ye be?' said Heriotside, growing eerie.
    1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide

    UsageUsed after feel or grow: to feel eerie is to feel afraid.

    Similarfrightened, scared, fearful, timid

    Oppositebrave, fearless

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 3
    nounrare
    A strange and scary creature or thing.
    I tell you it's weirdsville down there, a spaced-out botanical Twilight Zone of creepies, crawlies, eeries, and ghastlies.
    2013, Robert Silverberg, “A Science-Fiction Garden”

Practice

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Origin

From Old English earg, meaning "cowardly" or "fearful".

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts