heretical

adjective

hə-ˈre-ti-kəl How to pronounce heretical (audio)
variants also heretic
Definition of hereticalnext
as in dissident
deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices the belief that women should be allowed to have careers outside the home was once considered heretical

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of heretical Across Bavaria, breweries, beer gardens and festivals are adjusting to a reality that would have sounded almost heretical not so long ago. — David Dickstein, Oc Register, 10 June 2026 It is associated with the Shiite branch of Islam but is considered heretical by most Muslims. — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026 Drunkenness, like madness, protects the messengers of heretical truth from disbelief, disdain, and retaliation. — Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026 This heretical policy gets some support from yet another rigid convention, that of credits, which separates directors from screenwriters. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heretical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heretical
  1. dissident
  2. unconventional
  3. dissenting
  4. out-there
Adjective
  • Stötzer nevertheless circulated the text as samizdat, setting her own testimony against the Stasi’s record of her activities—much as the dissident writer Jürgen Fuchs had done in his 1977 text Gedächtnisprotokolle (Memory Protocols).
    — Elisa R. Linn, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Projects must be led by LGBTQ+ directors and screenwriters, or by professionals whose dissident gender identities and expressions inform their creative perspectives.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of dissident
Adjective
  • Screening the electron interactions weakened and ultimately eliminated superconductivity, supporting an unconventional mechanism for electron pairing.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Inspired by the unconventional materials and craftsmanship of studio jewelry, the couple fell in love with art jewelry as collectible material culture.
    — Livia Caligor, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of unconventional
Adjective
  • The Fed’s interest rate-setting committee is divided and saw the most dissenting votes in more than three decades last month.
    — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 May 2026
  • Board member Renee Paschall cast the lone dissenting vote on the final package.
    — Elizabeth Sander, San Antonio Express-News, 19 Aug. 2022
Definition of dissenting
Adjective
  • They’re made from a faux leather that, frankly, looks really expensive, and are available in 20 colors, including some more out-there prints.
    — Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Guitarist Adam Turay and trumpeter Ryan Easter both come from the jazzier side of the tracks, the former playing with Afro-R&B group the Narcotix, the latter with more out-there units like WRENS.
    — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026
Definition of out-there

Browse Nearby Words

heretic
heretical
heretics
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Cite this Entry

“Heretical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heretical. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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