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
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2026
Part of it was because Williams designed what his clients wanted rather than adhering to a strict aesthetic code, so he wasn’t considered an avant-garde architect.
—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
24 June 2026
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
29 June 2026
All of these have a basis in her life, which also included the role of devoted wife and muse to the muralist Diego Rivera, and the part of avant-garde painter creatively mixing Mexican folk art with Surrealism.
—
Jonathon Keats,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
Adjective
The avant-garde legend is seen sitting in a kitchen alongside Martin Scorsese and Marc Jacobs — each one representing a component of music, fashion, and film.
—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2026
Part of it was because Williams designed what his clients wanted rather than adhering to a strict aesthetic code, so he wasn’t considered an avant-garde architect.
—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
24 June 2026
Noun
The more voguish looks accessorized the A-list and artist attendees clad in avant-garde garments, adding texture on top.
—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
29 June 2026
All of these have a basis in her life, which also included the role of devoted wife and muse to the muralist Diego Rivera, and the part of avant-garde painter creatively mixing Mexican folk art with Surrealism.
—
Jonathon Keats,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avant-garde
Adjective
-
His endorsements are for progressive candidates challenging incumbent Democrats.
-
In a crowded field, voters will pick among four candidates who are all different flavors of Democrat, ranging from moderate to much more progressive and aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America.
Noun
-
Columbia waded into the rock vanguard after Davis attended the Monterey International Pop Festival in June 1967 at the behest of its organizer Lou Adler, whose Ode Records was distributed by CBS.
-
Linklater was a vanguard of the indie film movement of the 1990s.
Adjective
-
The executive order directed the federal government to shore up key cyber defenses and establish a mechanism for testing the most advanced AI models for safety issues.
-
The rapid integration of AI into healthcare is fueling a massive demand for advanced computing hardware like GPUs.
Noun
-
When P-waves start radiating from the earthquake underground, Android phones sense the vibrations, start collecting data and send it back to Google servers for processing.
-
Invisible hands strap her legs onto the stirrups, an iron fist plunging her through a tunneling, gravity‑bending, black underground.
Adjective
-
Mauricio Pochettino has made the unconventional conventional since taking over as coach of the national team 18 months ago.
-
Many shoppers are also moving beyond the classic round brilliant diamond in favor of geometric cuts, elongated shapes and unconventional settings.
Adjective
-
Stu Sjouwerman is co-founder and CEO of ReadingMinds, a pioneering AI-moderated interview platform for conducting sentiment analysis.
-
Nearly a century after the first book in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series was published, Netflix is revisiting the story of a pioneering family that struck out to make a new life for itself and headed west in the 1870s.
Adjective
-
Despite her lofty ambitions, the avant-pop singer is at her most compelling when grounded in the earthly pleasures of four-to-the-floor beats and straightforward, theatrical hooks.
-
Today’s avant-gardistes are opening new addresses along rue Jean de La Fontaine, Auteuil’s main thoroughfare, that are helping reinvigorate the village while keeping its history and tradition close.
Adjective
-
Given modern advances, many organizations are turning towards auto-triaging by AI services and other digital tools to help ease the burden for physicians.
-
One non-negotiable of the modern footballer is good coffee.
Cite this Entry
“Avant-garde.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avant-garde. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
