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eeriness

eeriness

1 7.2
A strange, quiet feeling that makes you feel afraid or uneasy
  • noun
  • /ˈɪriness/
translation icon : extrañeza
  • The howling wind added an unsettling eeriness to the old, abandoned house.

I, I am drawn to these elusive open-ended stories that are, that just are saturated with this mystique and eeriness to them.

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Examples

  • The eeriness of the X-rayed hand reaching across the entire side wall is heightened by the darkness that lingers over the space.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Back at the pool, I swam deep underwater, feeling the quiet and the eeriness of the underwater light.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Think of the eeriness pervading any given room upon the telling of a ghost story, for example.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Summer shivered, but not from fear or the eeriness of her surroundings.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Witnesses spoke of the eeriness and unnaturalness of the light.

    Blog text (28)
  • I'm not really sure why the Coens do this, but it definitely adds a sense of eeriness to the film.

    Blog text (20)
  • With the half shadows of twilight playing their usual tricks, there was an eeriness to the scene.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The mournful cry of a pair of crows and a single lost lamb added an eeriness to the scene.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The photograph conveys an impression of eeriness that corresponds to this "slow discovery" of the painting.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Perhaps the eeriness stems from the unsettling irony of imperialist nostalgia.

    Academic text (2000)

Synonyms

creepiness
vseeriness
4 5.3

An unpleasant feeling of fear or unease, like insects crawling on your skin

is more about strange mystery and fear than simple physical discomfort
scariness
vseeriness
1 4.1

A feeling of fear caused by something you see or hear

is about strange mystery and unease, often milder than pure fear
spookiness
vseeriness
1 5.3

A strange, eerie feeling that makes you feel uneasy

is the broader term for strange mystery that inspires unease or fear
frightfulness
vseeriness
1 8.1

A strong feeling of fear when something is very scary

is the milder sense of strangeness and mystery rather than full horror
fearsomeness
vseeriness
1 6.9

A quality that makes people feel scared

is about strange mystery that creates unease rather than direct threat
spooky vibe
vseeriness
  • Informal
8.1

A creepy feeling like a ghost might be near

is the general quality of strangeness and mystery causing fear or unease
uncanniness
vseeriness
7.8

A strange, mysterious feeling that makes you feel uneasy or surprised

focuses on strange mystery that inspires fear rather than just surprise
creepo vibe
vseeriness
  • Slang
9.9

A feeling that someone or something is strange and makes you feel unsafe

is the general quality of strange mystery causing fear rather than mere suspicion
ghostliness
vseeriness
8.4

A strange, quiet feeling that makes you feel afraid

is broader strangeness and mystery, not limited to ghost imagery
ghoulishness
vseeriness
8.8

A strange, scary quality like a ghost or monster

is general strange mystery that may lack grotesque or macabre details

Antonyms

10 3.4

A relaxed friendly way of behaving toward people you know well

3 4.1

A state of being usual and not special

How Eerie

spookiness
1 5.3
creepiness
4 5.3
eeriness
1 7.2
strangeness
12 5.5

Surface Forms

eeriness singular
eerinesses plural

Morphology

eeriness = eerie (transparent) = eerie + ness

Standard noun formation from the adjective 'eerie' with '-ness' indicating the quality or state; meaning is directly predictable from the base.

Etymology

Eeriness comes from the word eerie, which once meant 'fear' or 'fright', and a helpful way to remember it is the small cry 'eek' people make when they are scared. So, eeriness is that strange, quiet feeling that makes you uneasy or afraid.