ˌən-kən-ˈven(t)-sh(ə-)nəl
1
as in dissident
deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices
the Shakers acquired their name because of their unconventional practice of dancing with shaking movements during worship
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in modern
not bound by traditional ways or beliefs
had unconventional opinions on the raising of children
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in informal
not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules
young, creative people who lead unconventional but fulfilling lifestyles
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unconventional
And when goals did go in, the unconventional trajectory of the Jabulani was oddly fascinating.
—
Michael Cox, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2025
The hero’s journey on this show is achieving their unconventional American dream.
—Giana Levy, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
Casting director Shaheen Baig and her team had to look in unconventional places and spread the word high and low, and over all sorts of Instagram stories in order to find Owen Cooper for Jamie, Amelie Pease for Lisa, Fatima Bojang for Jade, and others.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025
The unconventional choice hints at the director’s disinterest in a tidy search-and-rescue, and the relief that comes with it.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Michael Cox, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2025
The hero’s journey on this show is achieving their unconventional American dream.
—Giana Levy, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
Casting director Shaheen Baig and her team had to look in unconventional places and spread the word high and low, and over all sorts of Instagram stories in order to find Owen Cooper for Jamie, Amelie Pease for Lisa, Fatima Bojang for Jade, and others.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025
The unconventional choice hints at the director’s disinterest in a tidy search-and-rescue, and the relief that comes with it.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unconventional
Adjective
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The film follows a reclusive mortician who faces an unusual request from a dissident singer in hiding.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
20 Aug. 2025
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When an unexpected request comes from a dissident singer in hiding, his solitude and routine is broken — and so is to an extent his passivity.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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At Fort Lauderdale Airport, ERS’s main unit will be a sleek and modern 693-square-foot flagship store that will showcase top-end spirits, fragrances and jewelry.—
Kevin Rozario,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
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Only two other Cubs hitters in the modern era produced those numbers in a game: Andre Dawson in his 1987 MVP season and Hall of Famer Billy Williams in 1971.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
After training, the men act as peer educators, visiting homes and hosting informal talks.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Aug. 2025
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Male Alzheimer’s caregivers group: The Men’s Breakfast Club is an informal and unstructured gathering of male caregivers.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In the dissenting view, the star collapses to the edge of the event horizon and then hovers there, or rebounds and explodes.—
Corey S. Powell,
Discover Magazine,
26 Feb. 2015
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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
Adjective
-
United wanted a goalkeeper who could reshape the way the team built from the back, act as an extra outfield player and push them toward a more progressive style of play.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
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Yet the party’s soul-searching has inspired a robust discussion in left-leaning digital media circles about the path forward, which is clearly fueling interest in liberal and progressive writers, podcasters, and posters.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
What were some other out-there ideas that never came to fruition?—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
18 Aug. 2025
-
On the accessories front, absolutely everyone is wearing knitted and crocheted caps, plus other out-there hair accessories like bold clips, mega-size scrunchies, and pillbox hats.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Since taking office in a snap election in June, the liberal Lee has taken steps to lower tensions with the nuclear-armed North, and the issue is one where he is expected to find common ground with Trump, who still boasts of his historic summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.—
Joyce Lee,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
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In doing so, the governor cited a state Supreme Court decision from last month, in which the court's liberal majority limited the ability of the Legislature's powerful Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules to block regulations issued by the executive branch.—
Jessie Opoien,
jsonline.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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He was taught by the radical abolitionist Gilbert Wakefield, and his father was a friend and admirer of the Enlightenment philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whose ideas helped inspire the French Revolution.—
Roy Scranton,
The Conversation,
22 Aug. 2025
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This radical philosopher inspires Margret and Heinz Wittmer (Sydney Sweeney, Daniel Brühl) and their young son to follow and farm.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unconventional. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.
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