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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unconventional
Its lack of natural predators protected birds with unconventional lifestyles by most bird standards.
—
Tom Page, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
In addition to making San Jose’s best sourdough bread, Milk Belly Bakery easily makes the city’s most unconventional loaves.
—Mario Cortez, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Mar. 2026
Lindy West’s new memoir, Adult Braces, ends with a portrait of unconventional domestic bliss.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2026
Having students wrestle with unconventional modes of composition and revision lies at the heart of ensuring that the technology is more of a helpful thought partner, but not a substitute for their voice.
—Gayle Rogers, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Tom Page, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
In addition to making San Jose’s best sourdough bread, Milk Belly Bakery easily makes the city’s most unconventional loaves.
—Mario Cortez, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Mar. 2026
Lindy West’s new memoir, Adult Braces, ends with a portrait of unconventional domestic bliss.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2026
Having students wrestle with unconventional modes of composition and revision lies at the heart of ensuring that the technology is more of a helpful thought partner, but not a substitute for their voice.
—Gayle Rogers, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unconventional
Adjective
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Soon, the childhood acquaintances are embarking on a surveillance caper, eavesdropping on a dissident pop star (Rebecca Naomi Jones).—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
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In the weeks before that dinner, dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and the Times and other outlets reported that world leaders had come to suspect the crown prince in the murder.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Natural materials, like unpolished wood and linen, are juxtaposed with sleek, modern furnishings.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
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Cesar Chavez was a labor organizer and civil rights activist who became one of the most influential figures in the modern farmworker movement, particularly in California and the American Southwest.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The service Service is friendly, but informal, reflecting the relaxed Malibu energy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Mar. 2026
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That reflects poorly on the speaker, who has an informal rule that no major bill will move to the floor unless at least 60 of his chamber’s 78 Democrats support it.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Board member Renee Paschall cast the lone dissenting vote on the final package.—
Elizabeth Sander,
San Antonio Express-News,
19 Aug. 2022
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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
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One is to follow the approach of Minnesota and other progressive states and convert deductions or exclusions to refundable credits.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
22 Mar. 2026
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Thirty-five study participants received relaxation therapy, consisting of deep breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation techniques.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Outside,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The planet is the setting for an unlikely mix of sci-fi, magic, and fantasy, populated by a bizarre assortment of characters whose origins were usually determined by the out-there whims of toymakers — there really is no other way to explain Snout Spout.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
3 Mar. 2026
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While casual fans of Bessette-Kennedy’s style might imagine her wardrobe as simple above all else, the fashion insider had a taste for the out-there stuff, too.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The flow of liberal funding has continued since then.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
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Unlike the recent Senate primary in Texas, where Democrats publicly weighed questions of electability, Illinois may provide insight into how much of a fighter liberal voters want in Congress.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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No group claimed responsibility for the attacks, but suspicion quickly fell on the Boko Haram jihadi group, which in 2009 launched an insurgency in northeastern Nigeria to enforce their radical interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
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With powerful visual storytelling, the film will interweave the rigorous scientific research and poetry of Lucy’s writing, with personal stories from a diverse range of contributors to offer a radical and profound examination of maternal metamorphosis.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unconventional. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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