nonconformity

noun non·con·for·mi·ty \ ˌnän-kən-ˈfȯr-mə-tē \

Definition of nonconformity

1 a : failure or refusal to conform to an established church

b often capitalized : the movement or principles of English Protestant dissent

c often capitalized : the body of English Nonconformists

2 : refusal to conform to an established or conventional creed, rule, or practice

3 : absence of agreement or correspondence

See nonconformity defined for English-language learners

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Examples of nonconformity in a Sentence

As a teenager, he was embarrassed by his parents' nonconformity.
an artistic movement that doesn't tolerate nonconformity

Recent Examples of nonconformity from the Web

By contrast, however, the 11th Circuit, in Evans v. Georgia Regional Hospital, declined to reconsider the case of Jameka Evans, a Georgia security guard who alleged employment discrimination on the basis of her sexuality and gender-nonconformity.

— julie moreau /, NBC News, "Lesbian firefighter's legal win further divides courts on anti-gay discrimination," 29 Jan. 2018
The book explored the essentiality of individualism, the stifling censorship to which Soviet intellectuals submitted themselves, and the euphoric liberation experienced by those who embraced nonconformity and its consequences.

— douglas murray, National Review, "The Russian Revolution, 100 Years On: Its Enduring Allure and Menace," 30 Oct. 2017
The Australian songwriter known for penning tunes for Beyonce, Rihanna, and many others dives in with an entire album of all-original new holiday tunes called Everyday Is Christmas that includes this celebration of nonconformity.

— dan deluca, Philly.com, "Christmas music playlist: The Roots & Paul McCartney to Gwen Stefani and Joe Scarborough," 14 Dec. 2017
The continued popularity of Grafton’s independent heroine suggests the enduring appeal of such progressive gender-nonconformity in fiction, from the last century into this one.

— lauren christensen, New York Times, "A Decades-old Detective Series Is Still on Top," 1 Sep. 2017
Many of the protests of these years were aesthetic gestures, statements of nonconformity rather than expressions of a political program.

— franklin foer, The Atlantic, "Why Liberalism Disappoints," 8 Aug. 2017
Yet Lamarre has chosen to write about real people here, celebrating Rossi's individuality and nonconformity and even ending the play with revelations about Mom's personal achievements as a young woman.

— christopher arnott, courant.com, "TheaterWorks' Raucous 'Raging Skillet' A Mix Of Sweet And Salty," 3 Aug. 2017
And because nonconformity comes in many ways, sometimes just being yourself and advocating for others can seem like revolutionary acts.

— Orange County Register, "Titan voice Sarah Muñoz — In the pink: What democracy looked like on Jan. 21," 2 Feb. 2017
The Edwardses and Nova officials initially agreed to use a book about gender nonconformity during the anti-bullying month of October.

— mary divine, Twin Cities, "Parents can sue Nova Classical Academy under city’s human-rights ordinance," 14 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nonconformity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.