unconventional

ˌən-kən-ˈven(t)-sh(ə-)nəl
Definition of unconventionalnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

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 unconventional Venus, planet of money, moves through your 2nd House of Resources and forms a sextile to unconventional Uranus in your 12th House of Solitude, so insights can guide wise spending. Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026 Follow your instincts – the more unusual or unconventional, the better! Usa Today, USA Today, 15 June 2026 Some of that skill was young and undersized — like with Blake and Stankoven — but some of it was unconventional skill down the lineup, like with Mark Jankowski. Thomas Drance, New York Times, 15 June 2026 Ernest granted her a provisional decree of divorce in October 1936, the same month Edward proposed with an unconventional engagement ring. Ilana Frost, PEOPLE, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unconventional
Adjective
  • But cartels and dissident groups still control pockets of the country, cocaine exports are at an all-time high and Colombia remains one of the world's most economically unequal countries.
    CBS News, CBS News, 22 June 2026
  • The group is a dissident faction of the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 June 2026
Adjective
  • The finish is what sells it, and the modern methods aim to look like hair that’s always been there.
    Malana VanTyler, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026
  • Executive Travel And Leadership The modern executive is, functionally, a professional time-zone crosser.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 24 June 2026
Adjective
  • Here the enduring wisdom of Indian spiritual philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti, Ojai’s informal patron saint, serves even to hold a recent incursion of ultra-rich to account.
    Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026
  • These employee-to-owner pipelines and apprenticeship-to-owner transitions marked informal forms of employee ownership.
    Mary Josephs, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • Board member Renee Paschall cast the lone dissenting vote on the final package.
    Elizabeth Sander, San Antonio Express-News, 19 Aug. 2022
  • 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
  • His endorsements are for progressive candidates challenging incumbent Democrats.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 23 June 2026
  • In a crowded field, voters will pick among four candidates who are all different flavors of Democrat, ranging from moderate to much more progressive and aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America.
    Saige Miller, NPR, 22 June 2026
Adjective
  • The ballerina sneaker trend is just the latest in a line of kooky shoe creations that range from wearable to wildly out-there.
    Aemilia Madden, Glamour, 18 June 2026
  • This is also by far the coolest crowd at the festival, a sea of designer outfits, out-there silhouettes, fresh haircuts, and even bouquets of flowers.
    E.R. Pulgar, SPIN, 10 June 2026
Adjective
  • But the court ruled in February that Republican counter plans violated a Utah referendum prohibiting gerrymandering, solidifying the single district centered on the increasingly liberal Salt Lake City.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 23 June 2026
  • The high court divided 6 to 3 along ideological lines in ruling against Damon Landor, with the three liberal justices in dissent.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • Conceived as an exercise in radical reduction, the movement reflects a design philosophy that privileges essential structure over accumulation.
    Richard Mille Contributor, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • With just seven days to go until their July 2 deadline, proponents of Oregon’s PEACE Act are rushing to gather enough signatures to ensure that the radical hunting and fishing ban makes the ballot.
    Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 25 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Unconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unconventional. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

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