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
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Recent Examples of avant-garde
Spin Staff, SPIN, 1 June 2026
In the mid-'60s, Rollins toured heavily in Europe, switching back and forth between more traditional and avant-garde approaches.
—CBS News, 26 May 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 May 2026
Reed faced deserved backlash for cruel personal attacks, including fat-shaming comments about actress Melissa McCarthy, reflecting his intolerance for unconventional or avant-garde work.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
Adjective
Play Me is third in a series of startling collaborations with producer Justin Raisen, making an unsteady blend of hip-hop textures and the noisy avant-garde.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 1 June 2026
In the mid-'60s, Rollins toured heavily in Europe, switching back and forth between more traditional and avant-garde approaches.
—CBS News, 26 May 2026
Noun
Celebrity is a premium big-ship cruise brand, focusing on exquisite dining, cutting-edge amenities, Instagram-worthy public spaces chock full of bespoke art pieces, and avant-garde onboard entertainment.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 May 2026
Reed faced deserved backlash for cruel personal attacks, including fat-shaming comments about actress Melissa McCarthy, reflecting his intolerance for unconventional or avant-garde work.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avant-garde
Adjective
-
This inequality demonstrates a particular kind of economic and political harm that targets racially diverse and politically progressive young people.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
In her campaign to be LA’s next mayor, Raman launched a progressive, left-wing bid to oust Bass from within the Democratic Party.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
If experimental and vanguard poetry is set on fragmenting the lyric I, verse plays and poet’s theater redistribute it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
Most notably, the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab or CSAIL, directed capably by my colleague Daniela Rus, is in there, where intrepid teams work on such vanguard projects as liquid AI models.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
Venice senior Lawrence Kensinger, who set the City Section shot put record with a state-leading throw of 65 feet 11 inches last week, had the third-best mark at prelims (59-6¾) and easily advanced to the finals.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Several of the advanced weapons systems the battleships are intended to field remain in development; the Navy hasn’t yet shown they can be integrated successfully onto a ship.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Visitors help the staff dig and build a traditional imu underground with volcanic rocks, banana stumps, ti leaves and burlap sacks, and then fill the pit with mea ʻai staples like kālua pork, chicken, taro, yams and breadfruit.—
Joe Yogerst,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
When oil wells are shut in, the pressure underground can become imbalanced, deforming the underlying structure.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Pratt, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the race’s most unconventional and unpredictable candidates.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
-
Last year, Smith acknowledged the artsy small city is an unconventional place to find world-class pizza.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
In the years since its release, it has become known as a pioneering American cookbook.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 June 2026
-
Dylan’s custom Fender Stratocaster reflects both his extraordinary creativity and the pioneering spirit of the American guitar maker.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
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.—
Mary Winston Nicklin,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Walk through a gallery of bronze busts immortalizing the game's greatest players and learn about the evolution of the game from the days of leather helmets to modern gear.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
That's far lower than the traditional 90-day window, and significantly lower than the more modern 45-day barrier.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Avant-garde.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avant-garde. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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