unconventional
adjective
un·con·ven·tion·al
ˌən-kən-ˈven(t)-sh(ə-)nəl 
: not conventional : not bound by or in accordance with convention : being out of the ordinary
an unconventional outfit
an unconventional thinker
unconventionally
adverb
Examples of unconventional in a Sentence
Her lifestyle is rather unconventional.
the Shakers acquired their name because of their unconventional practice of dancing with shaking movements during worship
Recent Examples on the Web
But unconventional doesn't necessarily mean unworthy, especially in the cooling interest rate climate of December 2025.
—
Matt Richardson, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
Gehry rose to prominence in the 1970s after designing his own unconventional Santa Monica home and went on to win the Pritzker Prize, architecture's highest honor, in 1989.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
The lack of official information adds to the mystery, but the craft’s appearance underscores China’s willingness to experiment with unconventional designs that could complicate detection and tracking by rival navies.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 4 Dec. 2025
On the house itself, Flynn opted for a near-black exterior — unconventional for a lakeside setting, but intentionally chosen to make the home stand out against the water.
—Evan Moore
december 4, Charlotte Observer, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
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Matt Richardson, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
Gehry rose to prominence in the 1970s after designing his own unconventional Santa Monica home and went on to win the Pritzker Prize, architecture's highest honor, in 1989.
—Mackenzie Schmidt, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
The lack of official information adds to the mystery, but the craft’s appearance underscores China’s willingness to experiment with unconventional designs that could complicate detection and tracking by rival navies.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 4 Dec. 2025
On the house itself, Flynn opted for a near-black exterior — unconventional for a lakeside setting, but intentionally chosen to make the home stand out against the water.
—Evan Moore
december 4, Charlotte Observer, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Cite this Entry
“Unconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unconventional. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unconventional
adjective
un·con·ven·tion·al
ˌən-kən-ˈvench-nəl
-ən-ᵊl
: not conventional : not bound by or in agreement with convention
unconventional behavior
unconventionally
adverb
-ˈvench-nə-lē,
-ən-ᵊl-ē
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