nontraditional
adjective
non·tra·di·tion·al
ˌnän-trə-ˈdish-nəl 
-ˈdi-shə-nᵊl
: 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
Thomas Toch
nontraditionally
adverb
… to learn how to build and sell cars nontraditionally …
—Michael Schrage
Michael Schrage
Examples of nontraditional in a Sentence
a nontraditional couple who are planning a very unconventional wedding
Recent Examples on the Web
Anna reactivates her zest for cooking when Matteo’s father unexpectedly must drop out of cooking the final meal at the local summer festival, with Anna moving to prepare a nontraditional pot of shrimp and grits to the unexpected glee of those who’re tasting it.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
The exhibition, which celebrates Stearns’ residency at the UC Botanical Garden, reveals how Stearns inspires the ecosystems of art and science through a nontraditional artistic practice.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2026
During the last five years, coaches who’ve remained in their college-level women's basketball jobs have seen their salaries rise by 45%—likely influenced by Staley's decision to fight for higher pay via nontraditional negotiating methods.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
As trauma treatment evolves, more people are exploring emerging, nontraditional and deeply personal paths toward recovery.
—Sonia Singh, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nontraditional
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Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026
The exhibition, which celebrates Stearns’ residency at the UC Botanical Garden, reveals how Stearns inspires the ecosystems of art and science through a nontraditional artistic practice.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2026
During the last five years, coaches who’ve remained in their college-level women's basketball jobs have seen their salaries rise by 45%—likely influenced by Staley's decision to fight for higher pay via nontraditional negotiating methods.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
As trauma treatment evolves, more people are exploring emerging, nontraditional and deeply personal paths toward recovery.
—Sonia Singh, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nontraditional
Cite this Entry
“Nontraditional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nontraditional. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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