nontraditional

adjective

non·​tra·​di·​tion·​al ˌnän-trə-ˈdish-nəl How to pronounce nontraditional (audio)
-ˈdi-shə-nᵊl
Synonyms of nontraditionalnext
: not following or conforming to tradition : not adhering to past practices or conventions : not traditional
a nontraditional family
nontraditional students
nontraditional menu items
Many use nontraditional teaching techniques, and they deliberately draw their students from beyond traditional neighborhood boundaries …Thomas Toch
nontraditionally adverb
… to learn how to build and sell cars nontraditionally Michael Schrage

Examples of nontraditional in a Sentence

a nontraditional couple who are planning a very unconventional wedding
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For her fifth wedding, Taylor again went a nontraditional route with her dress. Jessica Booth, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026 And, increasingly, buzzy breakout nontraditional voices — like Scott Jennings — can be as valuable (and expensive) as seasoned reporters. Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026 Noel Almario, family health care consultant Almario describes herself as a nontraditional political candidate with a background as a birth doula who works as a private consultant helping families navigate the healthcare system. Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 Teenagers are more inclined than their elders to get news from nontraditional sources such as social media and influencers, heralding a generational shift in how people seek out information. ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nontraditional

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nontraditional was in 1915

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Cite this Entry

“Nontraditional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nontraditional. Accessed 15 May. 2026.

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