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
: 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
Her mother is an opera singer, her father is a conductor and composer responsible for commissioning new, avant-garde works in Iceland. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025 The hat was in fact designed by Maison Schiaparelli, known for its avant-garde haute couture. Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Doja sported a white, avant-garde lace Quine Li design that featured a plunging neckline and theatrical lapels that extended out over her head. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2025 Cruz Beckham brought surrealist footwear codes to Paris Fashion Week on Friday, stepping out in JW Anderson’s frog loafers — a playful collaboration with Wellipets that fused PVC nostalgia with avant-garde design. Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2025 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 8 Oct. 2025.

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