maverick 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of mavericknext
as in dissident
deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices George Sand's maverick views on marriage scandalized 19th-century French society

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

maverick

2 of 2

noun

ˈmav-rik How to pronounce maverick (audio)
as in bohemian
a person who does not conform to generally accepted standards or customs there's always one maverick who has to go his own way

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of maverick
Adjective
This week’s visit will be scrutinized for clues about the trajectory of a more maverick Saudi foreign policy. — Stephen Kalin, WSJ, 8 Dec. 2022 As the label carved out a space for pop’s true maverick weirdos, Harle became notable for his classically pristine pop production, evident on collaborations with Charli XCX and Carly Rae Jepsen. — Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 5 Dec. 2022
Noun
In the Wisconsin governor’s race, for instance, much of the support for the presumptive Democratic nominee, Francesca Hong, stemmed from her maverick stance against data centers. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026 In 2008, Republican presidential nominee John McCain picked Sarah Palin, a maverick conservative who had been governor of Alaska for less than two years, to be his running mate. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for maverick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maverick
  1. dissident
  2. iconoclast
  3. unconventional
  4. eccentric
  5. individualist
  6. nonconformist
  7. loner
Adjective
  • Stötzer nevertheless circulated the text as samizdat, setting her own testimony against the Stasi’s record of her activities—much as the dissident writer Jürgen Fuchs had done in his 1977 text Gedächtnisprotokolle (Memory Protocols).
    — Elisa R. Linn, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Projects must be led by LGBTQ+ directors and screenwriters, or by professionals whose dissident gender identities and expressions inform their creative perspectives.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of dissident
Noun
  • In the dot-com and digital revolutions that followed, many of the people who sold the hardware, coded the software, and built the platforms were seen as iconoclasts themselves.
    — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2026
  • John Baldessari was one of the great iconoclasts of 20th century art.
    — Douglas Markowitz, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of iconoclast
Adjective
  • Screening the electron interactions weakened and ultimately eliminated superconductivity, supporting an unconventional mechanism for electron pairing.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Inspired by the unconventional materials and craftsmanship of studio jewelry, the couple fell in love with art jewelry as collectible material culture.
    — Livia Caligor, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of unconventional
Noun
  • The public reckonings with these figures’ legacies—the troubled former child star gone too soon, the beloved icon, the cult favorite, the complicated eccentric—have come in a cascade.
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Make sure to practice a full range of motion with these and emphasize the eccentric (the way down) part of the movement for maximal time under tension and muscle-building stimulus.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of eccentric
Noun
  • Across a sample of 102 nations, Nordic ones (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Finland) come out as the most individualist.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • This franchise didn't draft John Matuszak, but Davis found the boundary-pushing, difficult-to-coach individualist a perfect fit for the Raiders.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of individualist
Noun
  • The phrase suggests outsider, nonconformist — things in fashion this year.
    — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2026
  • At least Guillén still speaks his mind on the Sox’s pre- and postgame shows, so maybe there’s hope for nonconformists after all.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Definition of nonconformist
Noun
  • But Jake is traumatized after losing his mother and has become a loner who struggles socially.
    — Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The records also include transcripts of police interviews with Westman's father, ex-girlfriend, close friend and former co-workers, describing Westman as somewhat of a loner prone to depression.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of loner

Browse Nearby Words

mavens
maverick
mavericks
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Maverick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maverick. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stigma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All