1
as in bohemians
a person who does not conform to generally accepted standards or customs
always the nonconformist, she insisted on wearing red on St. Patrick's Day and not green like everyone else
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dissenters
a person who believes, teaches, or advocates something opposed to accepted beliefs
a nonconformist who was excommunicated from her church for her teachings
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Recent Examples of nonconformists
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
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonconformists
Noun
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Carl Anka Trent Alexander-Arnold’s England career is a fascinating case study in why team sports can prefer the orthodox to the mavericks.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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The confluence at Black Mountain of émigré artists like Josef and Anni Albers with homegrown mavericks like John Cage and Buckminster Fuller (who constructed his first geodesic dome there) marked an early flowering of this mode of learning, which was still in fine health decades later.—
Christopher Benfey,
The New York Review of Books,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Indian government, far more committed to democratic procedures than its Chinese counterpart, had crushed dissenters for actions far less provocative.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
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Even if no charges ultimately are filed, the attorneys contended in interviews that rooting out identities of dissenters is at the very least an intimidation tactic.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Tempo’s ascendence and corporate partnerships are indicative of a larger trend where well-heeled, corporate firms—from Robinhood to Stripe—are making their way into blockchain, traditionally the territory of anti-establishmentarians and iconoclasts.—
Jack Kubinec,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
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The women in her stories feel profound, distinct uncertainty toward convention—less as iconoclasts than fierce individuals.—
Chloe Schama,
Vogue,
26 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The Islamic Republic of Iran has accelerated its executions of dissidents and activists, with the true number of victims likely obscured by the regime’s internet censorship and blackout.—
Beth Bailey,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
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The second World Cup, in 1934, was held in Benito Mussolini’s Italy and served his blustery model of fascism; 1978’s edition took place in Argentina, in the middle of its military junta and the disappearance of tens of thousands of dissidents.—
Chris Jones,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nonconformists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonconformists. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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