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
Christian Allaire, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2025
Within minutes of arriving in Paris in 1903 and settling with Leo near Montparnasse, Stein hurled herself into the center of the thriving avant-garde art world.
—Daphne Merkin, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Neil McRobert, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Director/Producer: Nick Canfield From Swiss avant-garde roots to American pop culture, two artists crafted a song that became a cultural touchstone.
—Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
Adjective
Whether walking the runway in avant-garde looks or perfecting model-off-duty moments, great style runs in the family.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2025
Within minutes of arriving in Paris in 1903 and settling with Leo near Montparnasse, Stein hurled herself into the center of the thriving avant-garde art world.
—Daphne Merkin, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
There’s a cursed avant-garde horror movie that may be an occult ritual.
—Neil McRobert, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Director/Producer: Nick Canfield From Swiss avant-garde roots to American pop culture, two artists crafted a song that became a cultural touchstone.
—Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avant-garde
Adjective
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Advertisement Her victory also carries national implications for Democrats, who are struggling to chart a path between progressive energy and centrist caution ahead of the 2026 midterms.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
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One person familiar with Tuesday’s heated discussion within the caucus says there appears to be at least eight Democratic votes to reopen the government — even though progressive Democratic senators vented their frustration with the potential deal.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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But Washington has been watching closely as both countries continue to develop and test advanced weapons capable of delivering nuclear warheads.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Even his portrayal of a man with advanced dementia, in The Father (2020), which won the Academy Award for Best Actor, emitted a disconcerting power.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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There was a kind of anti-Franco underground in Barcelona.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
11 Nov. 2025
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Phoenix has also stored water underground for use in times of emergencies.—
Austin Corona,
AZCentral.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Washington — The Federal Reserve’s newest policymaker has an unconventional perspective on the US economy that’s proving tough to sell.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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Barr’s unconventional campaign, meant to make an argument against gerrymandering producing deeply partisan districts, made national headlines.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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The avant-soul album is considered a masterpiece, with Pitchfork ranking it the ninth-best album of the 2010s.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In short, the great task before us is to revisit and reimagine America’s founding fight as a creation story in the making of our modern world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Anyone vaguely near the aesthetic gets christened it by fans, including Bassvictim, who were always funnier and more creative than the other modern electroclash revivalists.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Avant-garde.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avant-garde. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
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