1
as in dissident
deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices
a Christian clergyman with a very heterodox opinion on the divinity of Jesus
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unconventional
not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules
her heterodox approach to teaching science initially met with some resistance from her peers
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Recent Examples of heterodox
In Syria, an equivalent system existed under the Assad dynasty, in which rural Alawites (a heterodox sect that emerged from Shiism) dominated the security agencies that policed a Sunni majority.
—
Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
Mollino—a heterodox figure who, from the margins, influenced the trajectory of twentieth-century design—likely never spent a single night there; its existence was only discovered after his death.
—Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
At Sovereign House, Allen and Easton curated a list of heterodox, and sometimes controversial, speakers.
—Emma Green, New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2025
The Free Press has won fans, and created plenty of fodder for critics, with heterodox columns and features.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heterodox
Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
Mollino—a heterodox figure who, from the margins, influenced the trajectory of twentieth-century design—likely never spent a single night there; its existence was only discovered after his death.
—Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
At Sovereign House, Allen and Easton curated a list of heterodox, and sometimes controversial, speakers.
—Emma Green, New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2025
The Free Press has won fans, and created plenty of fodder for critics, with heterodox columns and features.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heterodox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heterodox
Adjective
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The striped abstract paintings throughout the installation are based on polo shirts worn by Cuban state security agents who blend into crowds during protests, while gladiolus flowers reference the Ladies in White dissident movement.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
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These included eight members of Iranian dissident organization People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOE/MEK) and 24 participants in Iran’s January 2026 protests.—
Beth Bailey,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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While no Republican has won statewide office in Minnesota since 2006, the state’s voters have a history of making unconventional choices.—
Steve Karnowski,
Fortune,
11 Dec. 2025
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Adhesive covers and sticky bras offer coverage and light support under clingy or semi-sheer fabrics, while boob tape takes it even further, providing lift, shape, and support for plunging necklines and unconventional cuts.—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Another option is to be a bit heretical.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Nov. 2025
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The lacunae in the record lead Greenblatt to sprinkle breadcrumbs of heretical thought through his tale.—
Isaac Butler,
The Atlantic,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The largely informal opposition had consisted mainly of local cities that warned another sales tax would disproportionately burden the poorest residents and force shoppers across the county border in hopes of finding lower costs.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
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An informal settlement is a residential area where housing units have been constructed without official rights to the land.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Board member Renee Paschall cast the lone dissenting vote on the final package.—
Elizabeth Sander,
San Antonio Express-News,
19 Aug. 2022
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The document runs to more than a hundred and fifty pages, and for each question there are affirmative and dissenting studies, as well as some that indicate mixed results.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
3 June 2022
Cite this Entry
“Heterodox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heterodox. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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