Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

stranger

/ˈstɹeɪnd͡ʒɚ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.28 in modern English

Syllables: stranger
IPA: /ˈstɹeɪnd͡ʒɚ/

9

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

comparative form of strange: more strange

noun

A person whom one does not know; a person who is neither a friend nor an acquaintance.

noun

An outsider or foreigner.

noun

One not admitted to communion or fellowship.

noun

noun

Used ironically to refer to a person who the speaker knows.

Humorous

noun

One not belonging to the family or household; a guest; a visitor.

Obsolete

noun

One not privy or party to an act, contract, or title; a mere intruder or intermeddler; one who interferes without right.

Example Sentences

"Truth is stranger than fiction."
"That gentleman is a stranger to me."
"Children are taught not to talk to strangers."
"In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.[…]Strangers might enter the room, but they were made to feel that they were there on sufferance: they were received with distance and suspicion."
"Our love (our love, our love) / Our love is in danger (danger) / And if you don't hurry home / I might give it to a stranger"
"I am a most poor woman and a stranger, / Born out of your dominions."

Etymology

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: straunger

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈstɹeɪnd͡ʒɚ/
British English: /ˈstɹeɪnd͡ʒə(ɹ)/

Usage

Inflected Forms

strangers (plural) strangers (present, singular) strangering (participle, present) strangered (participle, past) strangered (past)

Derived Forms

cyberstranger nonstranger strangerdom strangeress strangerhood strangerlike strangerly strangership strangerwise

Phrases

stranger things have happened be no stranger to don't be a stranger familiar stranger perfect stranger stranger crime stranger danger stranger in the night

Frequently Paired Words

myall

Synonyms

newbie newcomer beginner alien unknown

Antonyms

acquaintance friend compatriot countryman fellow citizen fellow countryman national resident

Rhymes With

danger ranger changer granger endanger manger exchanger arranger

Questions

How do you pronounce stranger?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈstɹeɪnd͡ʒɚ/.
What does stranger mean?: comparative form of strange: more strange
Where does stranger come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce stranger

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “stranger”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈstɹeɪnd͡ʒɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “stranger”.
Repeat and practice — Say “stranger” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.