Both "weird" and "eccentric" are synonyms to one another, which means they hold similar meaning. However, in terms of speaking, weird can be viewed as something (or someone) that is unnatural, abnormal, or unappealing; while eccentric could be viewed as something "out of the ordinary", or strange. Many times, eccentric can and WILL be used as a compliment, while weird will not be. For example, let's look at two different situations. "Why does he act like that? He's so weird!" This means his behavior or actions aren't normal, therefore, he's viewed as strange. "She likes to listen to all genres of music. She's very eccentric." This is not viewed as an insult, rather, it's insightful. She listens to various genres of music, which can be seen as "cool"! I hope this makes sense!

Really good question! They both mean roughly the same thing - 'different and unusual'. The key to the difference is in usage rather than meaning; 'weird' is generally used in a negative way, whereas 'eccentric' is more neutral and even positive in some situations. This difference is called 'connotation'.

When describing people: "Weird" almost always an insult. "Eccentric" is more neutral in meaning--in some cases, it could even be seen as a compliment if you like people who are a little out of the ordinary. But it can also be used in place of "weird" to sound a little less harsh. Depends on who is saying it, what tone of voice they're using, etc. "That guy is weird!" is an insult. "That guy is eccentric!" is neutral, complimentary, or trying not to sound too insulting. When describing objects: "Weird" is used more. Similar meaning to unusual, strange, etc. "Eccentric" is not usually used to describe objects. It's more of a personality description.