curiosities

noun

plural of curiosity
1
as in rarities
something strange or unusual that is an object of interest the museum's curiosities include items constructed entirely out of toothpicks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in ornamentals
a small object displayed for its attractiveness or interest an assortment of curiosities from around the world that the family picked up during various vacations

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in tricks
an odd or peculiar habit Charles Dickens typically endowed his characters with an array of endearing curiosities

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of curiosities Yi offers her readers a dazzling cabinet of curiosities, exploring spirituality, desire and the desperate ways people grasp at each other. — Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 When Lake Mead last plunged to record-low water levels in 2022, its dramatically receding shoreline revealed all manner of curiosities. — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 The cabinet of curiosities has remained untouched ever since. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026 Backup quarterbacks Justin Fields and Garrett Nussmeier figure to get the bulk of the snaps, at least early, and the performances among newcomers at running back and the defensive interior will be among the biggest curiosities. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026 Taken together, OpenAI's Hugging Face incident, Claude's unauthorized breaches, autonomous DeepSeek attacks, adaptive AI worms and now OpenAI's decision to slow work involving Astra are difficult to dismiss as isolated curiosities. — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Should have charged it to the universe’s appetite for curiosities. — Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026 Realism shouldn’t be applied to a show like President Curtis, but the initial adventure isn’t funny enough to stanch the flow of parochial curiosities. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026 Travel, education, publishing and unfamiliar experiences could pull you beyond a routine that’s become too small for your insatiable curiosities. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curiosities
  1. rarities
  2. ornamentals
  3. tricks
  4. novelties
  5. traits
  6. souvenirs
  7. characteristics
  8. ornaments
Noun
  • With price tags far beyond the reach of the average museum, many of these rarities end up in private collections, including those of celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe.
    — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike Russell, whose legacy has been beautifully maintained in books, films, and re-releases, Hall’s solo work has only been available as a series of rarities and independent releases.
    — Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026
Definition of rarities
Noun
  • Select a fungicide labeled for leaf spots on ornamentals and follow the label.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Native species tend to establish faster and handle local climate stress better than ornamentals imported from other regions.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
Definition of ornamentals
Noun
  • Some of his bar inventions, for instance, were less grand thematic ideas and simply tricks to keep patrons indoors and ordering.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Treister had a smart sense of humor, often performing magic tricks for anyone who would come over to his home, his family said.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of tricks
Noun
  • Other novelties included Kiss Kiss, reinvented in 2005 with Hervé Can der Straeten, and Rouge G, reinvented with Lorenz Bäumer featuring the famed double-mirror case.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • What seemed like a low barrier for starting a company and finding investors — spurring viral storylines around 19-year-old blockchain CEOs and other such novelties — has given way to a high sense of precarity for people entering today’s arena.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of novelties
Noun
  • The article notes the overlap between emotional intelligence and psychopathy; while EQ is lauded, psychopathic traits can surprisingly predict career success due to charm and appearing calm under pressure.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Craig was extremely productive at Harvard and has NFL-caliber traits with his size, mobility and throw power.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of traits
Noun
  • Pairing rolled clothing with compression packing cubes, like this Bagail six-piece set with mesh panels to easily see what’s inside, can help keep outfits organized while creating extra room for souvenirs on the way home.
    — Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • For edible souvenirs, don’t miss Carosello Pasta, a specialty grocer and pastificio (Italy’s lilting word for pasta factory) that sources Midwest grains to craft pasta of every shape and shade.
    — Stacey Brugeman, Midwest Living, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of souvenirs
Noun
  • Historically, the Grand Sport has borrowed its design characteristics from the range-topping Z06, and that’s no different this time around.
    — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026
  • This potentially allows the same aircraft platform to undertake different types of strike missions while carrying weapons configured for different target characteristics.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of characteristics
Noun
  • Especially memorable designs include its Naga choker, wherein each gem represents ornaments worn by a different native tribe, and its Naga orchid necklace, inspired by the nearly 400 species of the flowering plant found in the region.
    — Sohini Dey, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
  • So are the Catholic lawn ornaments and gardens sprouting eggplants and figs.
    — Rachel Corbett, Curbed, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of ornaments

Browse Nearby Words

curiosa
curiosities
curiosity
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Cite this Entry

“Curiosities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curiosities. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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