ˌä-ˌvän(t)-ˈgärd 
ˌa-;
ə-ˈvänt-ˌgärd;
ˌa-ˌvōⁿ-ˈgärd,
ˌa-ˌvȯn(t)-ˈgärd
: an intelligentsia that develops new or experimental concepts especially in the arts
the avant-garde in the film industry
: of or relating to an avant-garde
avant-garde writers
an avant-garde filmmaker
Examples of avant-garde in a Sentence
Noun
to the theater world's avant-garde, the melodrama seemed like a very old-fashioned play whose time had come and gone
Adjective
a very avant-garde artist whose works wouldn't even be considered art by many traditionalists
Recent Examples on the Web
Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026
Since the 1970s, Bulgari’s design language has been defined by the avant-garde with its combination of precious gold with stainless steel.
—Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
The reward is a rural landscape dotted with rice paddies and spice plantations, ancient Hindu temples and Roman Catholic churches, under-the-radar heritage hotels, and avant-garde restaurants.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
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Noun
Defense tech adopts the countercultural posture of the avant-garde to shape the reception of military innovation.
—Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026
Since the 1970s, Bulgari’s design language has been defined by the avant-garde with its combination of precious gold with stainless steel.
—Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
And then there’s the daffy spectacle of the films themselves, with plots beholden to almost avant-garde manipulations of time, space, and reality.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
The reward is a rural landscape dotted with rice paddies and spice plantations, ancient Hindu temples and Roman Catholic churches, under-the-radar heritage hotels, and avant-garde restaurants.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
Cite this Entry
“Avant-garde.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avant-garde. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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