Synonyms of conventional

conventional

adjective

kən-ˈvench-nəl 

1

as in usual

accepted, used, or practiced by most people

conventional wisdom holds that an incumbent president has an overwhelming advantage over his opponent

Synonyms & Similar Words

• usual
• current
• customary
• prevailing
• standard
• popular
• prevalent
• normal
• average
• going
• common
• ordinary
• stock
• widespread
• regular
• universal
• routine
• everyday
• ubiquitous
• fashionable
• in
• accustomed
• stylish
• epidemic
• wonted
• modish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unusual
• unconventional
• extraordinary
• unpopular
• nonstandard
• abnormal
• exceptional
• uncommon

2

as in traditional

based on customs usually handed down from a previous generation

tried to break from the conventional attitudes regarding the proper roles for men and women

Synonyms & Similar Words

• traditional
• customary
• classical
• usual
• historical
• prescriptive
• old
• authentic
• common
• historic
• orthodox
• established
• ancient
• fixed
• ancestral
• habitual
• old-time
• old-world
• venerable
• hoary
• timeless
• aged
• age-old
• antediluvian
• immemorial
• ageless
• dateless

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unconventional
• nontraditional
• modern
• new
• contemporary
• current
• untraditional
• present-day
• modernized
• new age
• updated
• up-to-date
• latest
• high-tech
• uncustomary
• newfangled
• state-of-the-art
• modernistic
• original
• ultramodern
• futuristic
• revolutionary
• hot
• progressive
• unusual
• red-hot
• unorthodox
• unprecedented
• mod
• nonconformist
• hi-tech
• new-fashioned
• space-age
• supermodern
• nonorthodox

3

as in formal

following or agreeing with established form, custom, or rules

conventional courtesy demands that the bridal couple send written thank-you notes for their gifts

Synonyms & Similar Words

• formal
• ceremonial
• orthodox
• ceremonious
• regular
• official
• routine
• correct
• proper
• polite
• decorous
• authorized
• certified
• ritual
• systematic
• accepted
• ritualistic
• respectable
• sanctioned
• formalistic
• genteel
• methodical
• orderly
• seemly
• nice
• methodic

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• informal
• unconventional
• casual
• unorthodox
• irregular
• unauthorized
• unofficial
• freewheeling
• improper
• inappropriate
• unceremonious
• unsuitable
• incorrect
• unhappy
• unfit
• unseemly
• inept
• unbecoming
• indecorous
• infelicitous
• graceless
• unapt

Synonym Chooser

How is the word conventional distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of conventional are ceremonial, ceremonious, and formal. While all these words mean "marked by attention to or adhering strictly to prescribed forms," conventional implies accord with general custom and usage and may suggest a stodgy lack of originality or independence.

conventional courtesy

conventional fiction

How are the words ceremonial and ceremonious related as synonyms of conventional?

Ceremonial and ceremonious both imply strict attention to what is prescribed by custom or by ritual, but ceremonial applies to things that are associated with ceremonies.

a ceremonial offering

When is it sensible to use ceremonious instead of conventional?

In some situations, the words ceremonious and conventional are roughly equivalent. However, ceremonious applies to persons given to ceremony or to acts attended by ceremony.

made his ceremonious entrance

Where would formal be a reasonable alternative to conventional?

The synonyms formal and conventional are sometimes interchangeable, but formal applies both to things prescribed by and to persons obedient to custom and may suggest stiff, restrained, or old-fashioned behavior.

a formal report

the headmaster's formal manner

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of conventional

Hirota-Cohen, a respecter of Eastern and ancient medicine as much as conventional medical science, said Osteoboost reminds her of the shaking and bouncing exercises in the Qi Gong ancient Chinese practice for overall well-being. —Jia H. Jung, Mercury News, 4 June 2025

That’s because conventional deadlifts work through a larger range of motion. —Christa Sgobba, SELF, 4 June 2025

SpaceX's reusable Starship, designed with an eye toward settling Mars, uses conventional chemical propulsion, with methane and liquid oxygen propellants that SpaceX one day hopes to generate on the surface of the Red Planet. —Stephen Clark – Jun 3, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2025

The show, created by Erin Foster, finds Joanne (Bell, also an executive producer) and Noah (Brody) in a would-be conventional love story complicated by Noah’s position as a rabbi. —Rance Collins, IndieWire, 1 June 2025

Phrases Containing conventional

• conventional wisdom