NONCONVENTIONAL Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

nonconventional

adjective

ˌnän-kən-ˈvench-nəl

Definition of nonconventional

as in unconventional

not bound by traditional ways or beliefs his nonconventional cures were the subject of some controversy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 nonconventional The report claims the IRGC is exploring nonconventional warhead configurations for long-range missiles. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Dec. 2025 Green Berets are training alongside Mexico’s elite marine infantry units in conventional and nonconventional combat techniques. — Risa Brooks, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2025 After building two lucrative businesses, the serial entrepreneur and attorney set her sights on ensuring her family was also a success in a nonconventional way. — Jasmine Browley, Essence, 6 Oct. 2024 The house was founded in 1966 by Spanish fashion maverick Paco Rabanne, whose futuristic vision and use of nonconventional materials became a reference in Space Age chic. — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for nonconventional

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonconventional

Adjective

Jason Kanzler took an unconventional path to becoming the Seattle Mariners' new manager.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
His unconventional independent campaign is buoyed not only by his resume but also by his fundraising.

— Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of unconventional

Adjective

Together, these developments enable engineers to improve performance, capacity, and efficiency across modern electronics.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
In the heritage rooms, the mood is more bright and airy though still quite modern.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of modern

Adjective

Reducing the death sentences could help him in a primary with a Democratic base of like-minded liberal voters, but potentially hurt him in a general election with a national electorate that supports capital punishment.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
She was elected twice to the Gardner Edgerton School District Board of Education, leaving halfway through her second term, along with other liberal school board members, after harassment from conservative parents.

— Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of liberal

Adjective

New progressive voices on Capitol Hill, buoyed by midterm wins and stronger numbers, promise to make a lot of noise about delivering on AI.

— Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Mamdani, who rose to the national spotlight through his mayoral campaign in 2025, flexed his influence in the primaries by endorsing three progressive House candidates in deep-blue New York City districts.

— Jared Ochacher, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of progressive

Adjective

According to the Navy, this approach can help nontraditional defense companies move technologies from research and development toward procurement.

— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
President Obama was accused of limiting access to independent photojournalists, and famously favored nontraditional media outlets at the advent of the social media age.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of nontraditional

Adjective

The property has repeatedly refreshed guest rooms, restaurants, and public spaces to stay contemporary while anchoring itself in Cayman’s culture and beach heritage.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
Chanel wasn’t just a sponsor—the brand’s creative director Matthieu Blazy, a true contemporary art head, chaired the whole thing alongside artists Rosemarie Trockel and Carrie Mae Weems.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of contemporary

Adjective

On Thursday, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who led a radical overhaul of the department's Civil Rights Division, also announced her departure.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026
The bar’s radical inclusiveness was part of why people cared about it—and part of what its owners were struggling to finance it.

— Tara Knight, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of radical

Browse Nearby Words

noncontroversial

nonconventional

noncooperation

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Nonconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonconventional. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of nonconventional

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

cockamamie

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes