as in dissent
departure from a generally accepted theory, opinion, or practice
Copernicus's theory that the earth revolved around the sun was arrant heterodoxy at a time when the earth was thought to be the center of the universe
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Recent Examples of heterodoxy
Shalom Auslander’s literary career has been built on equal parts comedy, heterodoxy and self-loathing.
—
Mark Athitakis, Washington Post, 25 July 2024
Trump’s heterodoxy and disruptiveness provided the equivalent of an enormous natural experiment, and the results were surprising.
—Oren Cass, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2021
Historians have put forward theories which emphasized the (overstated) isolation of the province, its religious heterodoxy, and, most compellingly, its lack of the kind of 17th-century political traditions that colonists in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia drew on for support.
—Alexandra L. Montgomery, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 July 2021
The third or worst scenario would be if Rome would for some reason fail to address this situation on time; the heterodoxy would consequently rashly spread within the Church.
—Fr. Goran Jovicic, National Review, 13 June 2021
Four months later, Wilson was ousted as CEO of Ascend, having already been stripped of his responsibilities as early as July, just one month after expressing his heterodoxy.
—Madeline Fry Schultz, Washington Examiner, 10 Dec. 2020
The difference is that free speech and heterodoxy used to have allies in such venues as The New Yorker and the New York Times, where both political and artistic freedom now have so many enemies.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 6 Oct. 2019
McCain does not appear to have consciously intended his embrace of the campaign finance reform topic to be a major act of ideological heterodoxy.
—Matthew Yglesias, Vox, 26 Aug. 2018
Kanye has long worked with songwriters — something that, because it’s perceived as heterodoxy, is rarely discussed openly.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 25 June 2018
Mark Athitakis, Washington Post, 25 July 2024
Trump’s heterodoxy and disruptiveness provided the equivalent of an enormous natural experiment, and the results were surprising.
—Oren Cass, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2021
Historians have put forward theories which emphasized the (overstated) isolation of the province, its religious heterodoxy, and, most compellingly, its lack of the kind of 17th-century political traditions that colonists in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia drew on for support.
—Alexandra L. Montgomery, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 July 2021
The third or worst scenario would be if Rome would for some reason fail to address this situation on time; the heterodoxy would consequently rashly spread within the Church.
—Fr. Goran Jovicic, National Review, 13 June 2021
Four months later, Wilson was ousted as CEO of Ascend, having already been stripped of his responsibilities as early as July, just one month after expressing his heterodoxy.
—Madeline Fry Schultz, Washington Examiner, 10 Dec. 2020
The difference is that free speech and heterodoxy used to have allies in such venues as The New Yorker and the New York Times, where both political and artistic freedom now have so many enemies.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 6 Oct. 2019
McCain does not appear to have consciously intended his embrace of the campaign finance reform topic to be a major act of ideological heterodoxy.
—Matthew Yglesias, Vox, 26 Aug. 2018
Kanye has long worked with songwriters — something that, because it’s perceived as heterodoxy, is rarely discussed openly.
—Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 25 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heterodoxy
Noun
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This would likely add further support for rate cuts following last week’s two dissents in favor of cuts from Governor Waller and Vice Chair for Supervision Bowman.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
6 Aug. 2025
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The weak jobs number followed the Fed's decision Wednesday afternoon to hold short-term rates unchanged for a fifth consecutive meeting at 4.25% and 4.5% despite demands from President Donald Trump to cut and dissents from two top central bankers.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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His writings were condemned by the church as heresy but found a fan centuries later in Martin Heidegger, which makes sense.—
Jon Raymond
August 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Aug. 2025
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In 1600, the cosmologist Giordano Bruno, who proposed that the universe was infinite and that stars were distant suns, was burned at the stake for his heresies.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Heterodoxy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heterodoxy. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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