as in progressive
being or employing the latest concepts, styles, or techniques
a very avant-garde artist whose works wouldn't even be considered art by many traditionalists
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in vanguard
the innovators of new concepts, styles, and techniques especially in the arts
to the theater world's avant-garde, the melodrama seemed like a very old-fashioned play whose time had come and gone
Synonyms & Similar Words
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-garde
Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Kraus had pioneered her own Semiotext(e) series, Native Agents, publishing experimental autobiographical fiction by women in her downtown orbit, but her career as an avant-garde filmmaker was going nowhere.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Greg Evans, Deadline, 23 Dec. 2025
For Frankenthaler, as for much of the postwar American avant-garde, form, not content, did the talking.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
Adjective
The edifice may at first appear to have realized the modernist dream of injecting avant-garde art into everyday life, but its architects’ intention that the building serve only the glitterati of its day evacuated this modernist aesthetic of the socialist ideals typically underpinning it.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Kraus had pioneered her own Semiotext(e) series, Native Agents, publishing experimental autobiographical fiction by women in her downtown orbit, but her career as an avant-garde filmmaker was going nowhere.
—Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Noun
The comedic play focuses on a company of actors cast in an avant-garde performance piece.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 23 Dec. 2025
For Frankenthaler, as for much of the postwar American avant-garde, form, not content, did the talking.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avant-garde
Adjective
-
One proposal gaining support at least among progressive members is a payroll tax, loosely modeled after a Massachusetts measure, targeting companies that do not offer employees health insurance.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
-
It was later discovered Williams had Lewy body dementia, the second-most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
India’s new corporate vanguard Increasingly, many of these centers are leading efforts on product engineering, AI model development, and automation strategy — co-owning innovation and intellectual property in the process.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The oysterman has been catapulted onto the national stage as part of a vanguard of progressive, young candidates who have gained widespread support by appealing to working class voters.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
When emergencies result in a premature birth or a baby with medical complications, immediate access to advanced neonatal care is critical.—
MemorialCare Medical Group,
Oc Register,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Safety through advanced technology Safety remains the primary concern for any personal aircraft, and Plaut addresses this through extreme hardware redundancy.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The same streets, the same underground.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The seductive tale set in the nightclub underground of Weimar-era Berlin swept the Tony Awards the following year, earning Grey a trophy.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Its modular architecture allows custom sizes, voltages, and geometries, enabling unconventional uses such as structural integration into vehicle frames, drones, or chassis designs.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Jan. 2026
-
In the series, Winkler would play Howard Greenberg, a hard-driving and unconventional criminal defense attorney who is a fierce advocate for his underdog clients.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
From the earliest pioneering expeditions and nighttime escapes from bondage to the modern-day road trip, Americans are a people on the move – restless, ambitious and innovative.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
-
When Corse took the podium, the pioneering Light and Space artist spoke on her decades-long relationship with LACMA.—
Ryma Chikhoune,
Footwear News,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Cabin in the Sky, for its part, evokes artistry beyond the genre, like Stereolab’s Margarine Eclipse, where the Chicago avant-pop band struggled to process the loss of longtime member Mary Hansen.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
25 Nov. 2025
-
With her avant-groove sensibilities and refusal to color inside the lines, Lenae represents the fearless spirit fueling R&B’s new era.—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Their relaxed drape feels modern and unfussy, striking the right balance between polish and comfort.—
Gabrielle Porcaro,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
-
According to Makaym Dybenko, the system balances customization with military-standard compatibility, positioning DroneHunter Varta as a flexible counter-drone solution for modern combat environments.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Avant-garde.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avant-garde. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share