Unusual vs. Rare — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Unusual and Rare
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Compare with Definitions
Unusual
Not habitually or commonly occurring or done
It was unusual for Dennis to be late
The government has taken the unusual step of calling home its ambassador
Rare
Infrequently occurring; uncommon
A rare event.
A plant that is rare in this region.
Unusual
Not usual, common, or ordinary.
Rare
Excellent; extraordinary
A rare sense of honor.
Unusual
Not usual, out of the ordinary.
Every once in a while, though, Idol comes across an unusual talent who just blows everyone away.
It’s definitely not unusual for a couple to meet through friends or be set up on a date.
His behavior was unusual in that it was considered childish for a man of his age.
I’ve had no problem with female docs. I’ve had some – how should I say it – unusual experiences with a couple of male ones. And I have heard from girlfriends about their unusual experiences as well.
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Rare
Thin in density; rarefied
Rare air.
Unusual
Something that is unusual; an anomaly.
Rare
Cooked just a short time so as to retain juice and redness
A rare steak.
Unusual
Not usual; uncommon; rare; as, an unusual season; a person of unusual grace or erudition.
Rare
Very uncommon; scarce.
Black pearls are very rare and therefore very valuable.
Unusual
Not usual or common or ordinary;
A scene of unusual beauty
A man of unusual ability
Cruel and unusual punishment
An unusual meteorite
Rare
(of a gas) Thin; of low density.
Unusual
Being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird;
A strange exaltation that was indefinable
A strange fantastical mind
What a strange sense of humor she has
Rare
Good; enjoyable.
Unusual
Not commonly encountered;
Two-career families are no longer unusual
Rare
(cooking) Particularly of meat, especially beefsteak: cooked very lightly, so the meat is still red.
Well done
Rare
(obsolete) Early.
Rare
(gaming) A scarce or uncommon item.
Rare
To rear, rise up, start backwards.
Rare
To rear, bring up, raise.
Rare
Early.
Rude mechanicals that rare and lateWork in the market place.
Rare
Nearly raw; partially cooked; not thoroughly cooked; underdone; as, rare beef or mutton.
New-laid eggs, which Baucis' busy careTurned by a gentle fire, and roasted rare.
Rare
Not frequent; seldom met with or occurring; unusual; as, a rare event.
Rare
Of an uncommon nature; unusually excellent; valuable to a degree seldom found.
Rare work, all filled with terror and delight.
Above the rest I judge one beauty rare.
Rare
Thinly scattered; dispersed.
Those rare and solitary, these in flocks.
Rare
Characterized by wide separation of parts; of loose texture; not thick or dense; thin; as, a rare atmosphere at high elevations.
Water is nineteen times lighter, and by consequence nineteen times rarer, than gold.
A perfect union of wit and judgment is one of the rarest things in the world.
When any particular piece of money grew very scarce, it was often recoined by a succeeding emperor.
Rare
Not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness;
A rare word
Rare books
Rare
Recurring only at long intervals;
A rare appearance
Total eclipses are rare events
Rare
Not widely distributed;
Rare herbs
Rare patches of gree in the desert
Rare
Marked by an uncommon quality; especially superlative or extreme of its kind;
What is so rare as a day in June
A rare skill
An uncommon sense of humor
She was kind to an uncommon degree
Rare
Having low density;
Rare gasses
Lightheaded from the rarefied mountain air
Rare
(of meat) cooked a short time; still red inside;
Rare roast beef
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