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
David Remnick, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
The book market of a new country—Russia—was flooded with memoirs of repression and camp testimony, along with émigré and avant-garde writing, much of it never published before.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Teyana Taylor has arrived at the Oscars 2026—and her look is a dazzling, avant-garde statement if ever there was one.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
Adjective
Just as Balliett cast a wide net, taking in everything from Teddy Wilson’s swing to Ornette Coleman’s avant-garde harmolodics, Tad was boundlessly open to all traditions and experiments.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
The book market of a new country—Russia—was flooded with memoirs of repression and camp testimony, along with émigré and avant-garde writing, much of it never published before.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Noun
The book market of a new country—Russia—was flooded with memoirs of repression and camp testimony, along with émigré and avant-garde writing, much of it never published before.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Teyana Taylor has arrived at the Oscars 2026—and her look is a dazzling, avant-garde statement if ever there was one.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for avant-garde
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avant-garde
Adjective
-
In the movie, which was progressive for its time, the trans character attempts suicide after being subjected to emotional and physical abuse by the manipulative Sonny, who tries to make amends by going rogue and stealing money for their surgery.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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Upstairs, Riva Terrace is a super-fun warm-weather spot for Italian small plates and progressive cocktails like First Light (a pineapple-run creation infused with ginger and ginseng) overlooking the outdoor pool and the office buildings of downtown.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As the old vanguard of civil rights leaders pass, who will fill the void?—
Brittany Luse,
NPR,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The once-insurgent vanguards who cast their first votes for Barack Obama have relinquished their cool factor to Gen Z, who will one day undergo the same process themselves as time continues its relentless march forward.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Lightrocket | Getty Images Cybersecurity stocks slumped on Friday following a report that Anthropic is testing a powerful new artificial intelligence model that is more advanced in cyber capabilities and also presents potential security risks.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
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With the right investment in advanced water treatment and responsible discharge practices, the industry can help protect the very ecosystems that make cruising possible.—
Steve Adelstein,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His father was forged by years of revolutionary hardship—prison, persecution, life underground—before coming to power and reportedly amassing a war chest exceeding $100 billion, built in part from properties confiscated from religious minorities who fled persecution.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2026
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Bunn had previously used AI to search for new sources of oil underground, but pivoted to medical work after his wife had a series of miscarriages.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Twenty years after the end of Laguna Beach, Lauren Conrad, Stephen Colletti and Kristin Cavallari are having an unconventional high school reunion.—
Kirsten Chuba,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
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But the highest threat still comes from Iran’s unconventional arsenal, like drones, fast-attack small vessels and even unmanned boats that are filled with explosives.—
Annette Choi,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The al-Nahyan family is the hereditary monarchy of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which has increased its natural resource wealth with its pioneering sovereign wealth fund, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA).—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
20 Mar. 2026
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Some have likened coach Deion Sanders’ early Colorado tenure to that of the pioneering college basketball coach John Thompson, whose Georgetown Hoyas were an anomaly on a predominantly white campus but garnered the unwavering support of the hip hop and Black community.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Over the past four decades, the guitarist has drifted between avant jazz and Americana (and a little doom metal, too), sounding like nobody else the whole time.—
Archie Forde,
Pitchfork,
6 Mar. 2026
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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
Adjective
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Dinner in Carrick goes elevated at The Oarsman, a modern Irish standout, or cozier at The Red Bank, where local produce meets a candlelit garden setting.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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The interior was redesigned with new modern enhancements and interactive videos to elevate the fan experience.—
Kerri Corrado,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Avant-garde.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avant-garde. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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