Is it socially acceptable to describe someone as a bit weird?

[ThejoyofNC]

Having a discussion with a friend. Is it socially acceptable to say something like "he's a bit weird" these days?

YANBU- yes
YABU- no

You’ve put YANBU for both options!

Depends entirely on so many variables.

Pretty much anything is acceptable given the right context. It's relative

Well spotted! Have edited

which is definitely weird ..

Could you describe someone as being eccentric instead?

It’s not something I’d even think twice about saying in an offhand way to a friend about someone, I suppose. Probably wouldn’t say it at work or anywhere more “official.”

It’s fine.

You could, but I don't find the two synonymous.

Some people are a bit weird.

It wouldn’t be acceptable to direct the comment to the person in question (or say it in their hearing) , but I don’t see why you shouldn’t say it in private.

Depends on circumstances really.
If it's an odd personality type thing - OK (verbally to a friend, not written in a report!)
If someone has some sort of medical condition - not OK, in any way.

I googled synonyms for eccentric, and one of the suggestions was "weird". Google’s English dictionary is provided by Oxford Languages.

I always think how would I feel if someone said it about me. Would you mind if someone described you that way?

Need more info.

For example if you know someone well then weird is fine but if you don’t really know them then it could be seen as a bit mean because you don’t really know them and you’re going by “vibes”

I have been described as weird, and wasn't offended - there are worse things to be called.

I thought that we had got past stigmatising people in this way.

I had hoped we now recognised people have a right to be different, providing they aren't harming any one else.

Describing people as weird is downright offensive .

It depends. But I wouldn't be so blatant till I'd read the room. I'd probably start by saying 'oh, you know Kevin?' then if they do but no further response 'what do you think of him?' then see if others were feeling similar.

If they weren't I'd still say if I found him maybe unusual, introverted. Extroverted. A little annoying possibly. But I wouldn't want to be unnecessarily cruel.

But as I say it depends on what he did to make you think him weird. And if I saw him as a friend.

I call myself weird. If the shoe fits.

Not socially acceptable. Unfortunately. If we were able to trust our instincts and avoid people we found weird, we’d be better off.

Lots of variables but I think regardless of context my instinctive answer would be to ask "weird how?" - just the word weird isn't very informative. Like are you saying he's a creepy sex pest or are you saying he's a unicycling hipster or are you being a judgy bitch about a mutual friend, in which case cut it out.

I think that there’s 2 kinds of weird.

Weird as in unusual and you want to know more and weird as in you want to get away quickly.

Everybody has an element of the first definition where as the second type you hope to avoid.

Yes, I always say I’m a bit weird too.

I might say "i found him/her a bit odd, but it's all fine by me. Live and let live!"

I'm probably more likely to be the one being called odd/weird than the other way around.. and that's also fine, if someone finds me weird they're allowed to. What does piss me off is using that as an excuse to exclude, bully, or make fun of someone.

I think that we hesitate to use the word odd or weird because these days it is seen as something to be ashamed of, or something that makes you a target. Don't hesitate to use the word, but make sure you don't give it bad connotations.

I must get called weird at least once a week at work. Depending who it is im mainly not bothered.

Depends on the situation, who you are describing and who you’re describing them to.

I used to have a neighbour who, by any objective measure, behaved in quite strange ways at times. I would certainly have described him as ‘a bit weird’ to my partner or my friends or family.

I wouldn’t have described him that way to his wife.

Similarly there’s a man where I work who I find mildly creepy for reasons I can’t quite define and who sometimes says some quite odd things. If I was telling one of my friends about him I’d say I find him weird. If I was telling my boss about him I’d say ‘I find conversations with him a bit awkward’ or ‘He said some things in the meeting that made me wonder if he really understands this subject’ or ‘he doesn’t always act like you’d expect a professional colleague to act’.

Is it socially acceptable to criticise and judge someone behind their back?
Not really, no.