unearthly

American  

[uhn-urth-lee] / ʌnˈɜrθ li /

adjective

1. seeming not to belong to this earth or world.

   unearthly beauty.

2. supernatural; ghostly; unnaturally strange; weird.

   an unearthly scream.

   Synonyms:

   spectral, preternatural

3. out of the ordinary; unreasonable or absurd.

   to get up at an unearthly hour.

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unearthly British  

/ ʌnˈɜːθlɪ /

adjective

1. ghostly; eerie; weird

   unearthly screams

2. heavenly; sublime

   unearthly music

3. ridiculous or unreasonable (esp in the phrase unearthly hour )

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Related Words

See weird.

Other Word Forms

• unearthliness noun

Etymology

Origin of unearthly

First recorded in 1605–15; un- ¹ + earthly

Example Sentences

Ms. Pratt’s voice is unearthly and beautiful, and it’s striking to hear her showing up in such a setting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

They did not leave disappointed as the sun shrank to a crescent-like sliver of light that cast an unearthly pale gloom over the city.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2024

In the adept lithograph “Angels and Airplanes,” Russia’s Natalia Goncharova gives her blessing to the erupting conflagration by entwining unearthly militarism and Orthodox religiosity.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 7, 2023

Lovecraft short story, an apt source considering the eccentric author was, like Cage, drawn to tales of unearthly heebie-jeebies and anti-authoritarian resistance.

From New York Times • Apr. 26, 2023

The unearthly cry twanged the air again, but this time Razi wasn’t afraid.

From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook