avant-garde

1 of 2

noun

ˌä-ˌvän(t)-ˈgärd How to pronounce avant-garde (audio)
ˌa-;
ə-ˈvänt-ˌgärd;
ˌa-ˌvōⁿ-ˈgärd
ˌa-ˌvȯn(t)-ˈgärd
Synonyms of avant-garde
: an intelligentsia that develops new or experimental concepts especially in the arts
the avant-garde in the film industry
avant-gardism noun
avant-gardist noun

avant-garde

2 of 2

adjective

: 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
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Noun
Richard Mille is no stranger to colorful, avant-garde timepieces. Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 27 May 2026 At the same time, a different kind of American designer began reshaping Paris from the avant-garde side. Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 26 May 2026
Adjective
James Blood Ulmer, the innovative guitarist who fused avant-garde jazz with funk and the blues, died on June 3, according to a statement his family published via DownBeat. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2026 James Blood Ulmer, the avant-garde jazz, funk, and blues guitarist, died on June 3 at the age of 86, reports NPR. Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for avant-garde

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

French, vanguard

First Known Use

Noun

1849, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of avant-garde was in 1849

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Cite this Entry

“Avant-garde.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avant-garde. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.

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