50 Idioms for Unique with Meanings & Sentences
Idioms for Unique
1. One of a kind
Meaning: Unlike anything else; truly unique.
In a Sentence: Her creativity makes her one of a kind in the design industry.
Other Ways to Say: Irreplaceable, Singular, Stand-alone
2. A needle in a haystack
Meaning: Something extremely difficult to find due to its rarity.
In a Sentence: Finding genuine talent like his is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Other Ways to Say: Rare find, Hard to come by
3. Stand out from the crowd
Meaning: To be noticeably different from others.
In a Sentence: His unique fashion sense makes him stand out from the crowd.
Other Ways to Say: Distinctive, Eye-catching
4. Break the mold
Meaning: To do something in a way that is very different from what has been done before.
In a Sentence: Her storytelling broke the mold of traditional novels.
Other Ways to Say: Revolutionary, Trailblazing
5. March to the beat of one’s own drum
Meaning: To act independently or differently from others.
In a Sentence: He marches to the beat of his own drum, never following trends.
Other Ways to Say: Go your own way, Think independently
6. Cut from a different cloth
Meaning: Very different in character or behavior.
In a Sentence: She’s cut from a different cloth—completely original.
Other Ways to Say: Exceptional, Distinct personality
7. In a league of one’s own
Meaning: So good or unique that there is no competition.
In a Sentence: Her talent places her in a league of her own.
Other Ways to Say: Elite, Unmatched
8. Ahead of the curve
Meaning: More advanced or innovative than others.
In a Sentence: That startup is ahead of the curve in green technology.
Other Ways to Say: Progressive, Forward-thinking
9. Blaze a trail
Meaning: To do something that has never been done before.
In a Sentence: He blazed a trail in digital art.
Other Ways to Say: Pioneer, Lead the way
10. The only game in town
Meaning: The only one of its kind available.
In a Sentence: That bakery is the only game in town for vegan desserts.
Other Ways to Say: Sole option, One and only
11. Break new ground
Meaning: To do something innovative.
In a Sentence: Her research breaks new ground in medicine.
Other Ways to Say: Innovate, Forge ahead
12. Unicorn in the wild
Meaning: Something very rare and unique.
In a Sentence: A musician with her voice is a unicorn in the wild.
Other Ways to Say: Gem, Rarity
13. Like nothing else
Meaning: Entirely unique.
In a Sentence: His performance was like nothing else we’ve seen.
Other Ways to Say: Unmatched, Incomparable
14. Off the beaten path
Meaning: Unusual or uncommon; not mainstream.
In a Sentence: Their vacation destination was truly off the beaten path.
Other Ways to Say: Unconventional, Lesser-known
15. Write your own story
Meaning: To live life in a unique and personal way.
In a Sentence: She’s writing her own story, regardless of expectations.
Other Ways to Say: Follow your path, Live authentically
16. Rare bird
Meaning: A person or thing that is uncommon or exceptional.
In a Sentence: He’s a rare bird in the world of politics—honest and humble.
Other Ways to Say: Rarity, Standout
17. Not cut from the same cloth
Meaning: Fundamentally different from others.
In a Sentence: She’s not cut from the same cloth as her peers.
Other Ways to Say: Distinct, Different breed
18. Paint outside the lines
Meaning: To be unconventional.
In a Sentence: He always paints outside the lines with his unique ideas.
Other Ways to Say: Think creatively, Colorful thinker
19. Beat to a different drum
Meaning: Think or behave differently from others.
In a Sentence: She beats to a different drum and doesn’t follow trends.
Other Ways to Say: Free spirit, Independent thinker
20. Break with tradition
Meaning: To do something differently from what is usually done.
In a Sentence: He broke with tradition by wearing a purple suit to his wedding.
Other Ways to Say: Defy norms, Rebel
21. Light years ahead
Meaning: Far more advanced or developed.
In a Sentence: Her work is light years ahead of others in the field.
Other Ways to Say: Ahead of its time, Far advanced
22. A breath of fresh air
Meaning: Something new and refreshing.
In a Sentence: His unique ideas were a breath of fresh air.
Other Ways to Say: Refreshing change, New perspective
23. One in a million
Meaning: Extremely rare or unique.
In a Sentence: Her kindness makes her one in a million.
Other Ways to Say: Exceptional, Truly rare
24. Set apart
Meaning: To distinguish or make someone unique.
In a Sentence: Her artistic vision sets her apart from the rest.
Other Ways to Say: Stand out, Distinguish
25. The exception to the rule
Meaning: A person or thing that doesn’t follow general expectations.
In a Sentence: He’s the exception to the rule of lazy teenagers.
Other Ways to Say: Outlier, Unusual case
26. Leap beyond boundaries
Meaning: To go beyond limits or expectations.
In a Sentence: His invention leaped beyond the boundaries of modern science.
Other Ways to Say: Surpass, Push limits
27. Breathe new life into
Meaning: To refresh or reinvent something in a unique way.
In a Sentence: She breathed new life into classic literature.
Other Ways to Say: Revitalize, Reimagine
28. Write the rulebook
Meaning: To establish new and unique standards.
In a Sentence: That artist wrote the rulebook for modern calligraphy.
Other Ways to Say: Set trends, Innovate
29. Chart your own course
Meaning: To take a unique path in life.
In a Sentence: Instead of law school, she charted her own course and opened a café.
Other Ways to Say: Blaze your trail, Do it your way
30. Something else entirely
Meaning: Totally different and unique.
In a Sentence: His approach wasn’t just creative—it was something else entirely.
Other Ways to Say: Unlike anything, Entirely distinct
31. Cut a new path
Meaning: To do something no one has done before.
In a Sentence: She cut a new path in digital education.
Other Ways to Say: Trailblaze, Forge new ground
32. Stand alone
Meaning: To be unmatched or unrivaled.
In a Sentence: His invention stands alone in its brilliance.
Other Ways to Say: Unique, Peerless
33. Sing a different tune
Meaning: To express a unique opinion or approach.
In a Sentence: When everyone agreed, she sang a different tune.
Other Ways to Say: Voice a different view, Differ
34. Swim against the current
Meaning: To go against popular opinion or trends.
In a Sentence: He swims against the current in everything he does.
Other Ways to Say: Rebel, Defy the norm
35. No two alike
Meaning: Every person or thing is unique.
In a Sentence: Every snowflake is proof that no two are alike.
Other Ways to Say: Individually made, One-of-a-kind
36. Blaze one’s own trail
Meaning: To do things your own way.
In a Sentence: She blazed her own trail and became a self-made artist.
Other Ways to Say: Go solo, Lead your journey
37. Set the bar
Meaning: Establish a new standard or benchmark.
In a Sentence: Her unique teaching style sets the bar for others.
Other Ways to Say: Lead, Set the standard
38. Outside the box
Meaning: Thinking in an unconventional way.
In a Sentence: His solution was so outside the box, it amazed everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Innovative, Creative
39. Make your mark
Meaning: To leave a unique and lasting impact.
In a Sentence: He made his mark in the world of animation.
Other Ways to Say: Leave a legacy, Impress
40. In a class by itself
Meaning: So unique or exceptional that it’s beyond comparison.
In a Sentence: Her performance was in a class by itself.
Other Ways to Say: Unparalleled, Exceptional
41. Against the grain
Meaning: Contrary to the norm or expectations.
In a Sentence: His fashion sense goes against the grain—and it works!
Other Ways to Say: Unusual, Boldly different
42. Create your own lane
Meaning: To build a unique path for yourself.
In a Sentence: Instead of competing, she created her own lane in business.
Other Ways to Say: Forge your way, Make space
43. Not your average
Meaning: Not typical or ordinary.
In a Sentence: She’s not your average teenager—she’s an inventor!
Other Ways to Say: Extraordinary, Standout
44. Uncharted territory
Meaning: Something never done or explored before.
In a Sentence: His research delves into uncharted territory.
Other Ways to Say: New ground, Unknown space
45. One-off
Meaning: A single and unique occurrence or example.
In a Sentence: That painting was a one-off masterpiece.
Other Ways to Say: Once-in-a-lifetime, Singular item
46. Beyond compare
Meaning: Too unique to be compared.
In a Sentence: Her beauty is beyond compare.
Other Ways to Say: Incomparable, Matchless
47. A true original
Meaning: Completely unique and authentic.
In a Sentence: He’s a true original in everything he does.
Other Ways to Say: Nonconformist, Creative genius
48. Without equal
Meaning: Has no match or rival.
In a Sentence: That software is without equal in the market.
Other Ways to Say: Matchless, Peerless
49. Diamond in the rough
Meaning: Someone or something with great potential that’s not yet polished.
In a Sentence: Her raw singing talent is a diamond in the rough.
Other Ways to Say: Untapped potential, Hidden gem
50. Born to stand out
Meaning: Naturally different and exceptional.
In a Sentence: He was born to stand out, never meant to fit in.
Other Ways to Say: Destined for greatness, Naturally unique
