AVANT Synonyms: 45 Similar and Opposite Words

avant

adjective

ˈä-ˌvän(t)

Definition of avant

as in progressive

being or employing the latest concepts, styles, or techniques readers of this very avant novel should not expect to find much in the way of traditional narrative structure

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of avant For electronic music that is just as awe-inducing, there’s the ambient-pop artist Laurel Halo (Pioneer Works; June 25), the eclectic avant-rap producer Flying Lotus, playing with a live band (Blue Note; July 8-9), and the psychedelic composer Dan Deacon (Pioneer Works; July 31). — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 May 2026 Since 1962 the same family has owned and run Aimo e Nadia, featuring avant garden cuisine. — John Mariani, Forbes.com, 16 Mar. 2026 Top of the News This ambitious fine dining restaurant’s tasting menu has an eye toward avant garde visuals, but the progression of courses is high octane. — Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Feb. 2026 In Rye’s place, Agar and his business partner will expand their avant garde cocktail bar, Apothecary. — Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for avant

Recent Examples of Synonyms for avant

Adjective

The argument’s been just as lopsided in Michigan, where progressive candidates were first out with plans to limit data centers.

— David Weigel, semafor.com, 31 July 2026
Ideally, this new midfielder would be a progressive passer — something Everton also see in Hackney — who helps in possession, but can also distribute in a more direct manner at times.

— Mark Carey, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of progressive

Adjective

Kyle Karros singled with one out in the fourth, advanced on a groundout and scored on a throwing error by second baseman Troy Johnston.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
First, every major investment in housing, transit, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and public infrastructure must also be a workforce strategy.

— Emma Pfohman, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of advanced

Adjective

Raimi, the pioneering horror maestro behind Evil Dead as well as the original Spider-Man trilogy, is repped by CAA.

— Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026
In 2020, after selling his previous company, Fifth Street, under a cloud of investor litigation and an SEC settlement, the veteran financier recast himself as a pioneering lender to underbanked cannabis firms.

— John Hyatt, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Definition of pioneering

Adjective

Monastiq is an all-day restaurant with a modern take on traditional Czech cuisine, complete with special menus for kids as well as a seasonal selection of dishes.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Though guests will love the home’s open-concept layout, gourmet kitchen, and modern touches, the great outdoors are the main draw.

— Kelsey Mulvey, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of modern

Adjective

The Little Review was an avant-garde literary magazine founded by Margaret Anderson in 1914 and published out of Chicago’s Fine Arts Building.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
While the Kitchen had increasingly opened its doors to fusions of minimalism and rock music practiced by fellow downtown composers like Rhys Chatham, the avant-garde had not cottoned onto disco.

— Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 27 June 2026

Definition of avant-garde

Adjective

These were voices—complaining, confiding, exasperated, distressed—that had not been heard before, as if the novel were a speaking tube cued to an underground rumble.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Eden Aurelius is a relatively recent arrival to New York’s underground club scene, but her slim discography so far shows remarkable focus.

— Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of underground

Adjective

The design wows with airy lounges, plush seating nooks, chrome finishes, curved contemporary furnishings and floor-to-ceiling glass with jaw-dropping vistas at every turn.

— Stephanie Orma, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Stephanie Gavan is a freelance writer and editor from Liverpool with a background in contemporary art and a deep affection for Italy, having spent years living among the canals of Venice.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026