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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Rather than playing consistent, repetitive chords to build a groove, his approach was based around counterpoint and riffs, filling the musical gaps between the band’s drummers and Phil Lesh’s similarly unconventional bass playing.
—
Alan Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Sacramento area homeowner Vincent Chad Jones is spoiled by his charming longtime residence, an unconventional geodesic dome built in the groovy ‘70s.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 10 Jan. 2026
The new boundary-pushing Broward Off Center series will put some unconventional performances in the spotlight in the Fort Lauderdale venue’s intimate Abdo New River Room.
—Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
Proxy advisors called Tesla’s plan excessive and unconventional.
—Shane Goodwin, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Alan Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Sacramento area homeowner Vincent Chad Jones is spoiled by his charming longtime residence, an unconventional geodesic dome built in the groovy ‘70s.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 10 Jan. 2026
The new boundary-pushing Broward Off Center series will put some unconventional performances in the spotlight in the Fort Lauderdale venue’s intimate Abdo New River Room.
—Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
Proxy advisors called Tesla’s plan excessive and unconventional.
—Shane Goodwin, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unconventional
Adjective
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In Virginia, a dissident hinterland landowner named Nathaniel Bacon led a revolt by aggrieved Colonists that torched the English provincial capital at Jamestown.—
Peter C. Mancall,
The Conversation,
9 Jan. 2026
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After hundreds of thousands of opposition protesters took to the streets in April 2002, Chavez was briefly ousted in a coup by dissident military officers and opposition figures, who installed a new president, businessman Pedro Carmona.—
James Trapani,
Fortune,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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At the same time, illicit South Korean dramas, pop music and films continue to circulate on USB drives and memory cards, offering younger North Koreans a competing vision of modern life.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
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This is readily undertaken via modern-era generative AI and large language models (LLMs).—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Emerging new informal duty might be for therapists to inform their clients about the ups and downs of using AI for mental health guidance, see my analysis at the link here.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Days later, in Los Angeles, Home Depot parking lots—long informal hiring sites for day laborers—again became flashpoints for enforcement actions and community backlash.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
21 Jan. 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 proposal gaining support at least among progressive members is a payroll tax, loosely modeled after a Massachusetts measure, targeting companies that do not offer employees health insurance.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
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It was later discovered Williams had Lewy body dementia, the second-most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Aside from the out-there storylines, these movies look nothing like Studio Ghibli or the photorealism of a Disney/Pixar film.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
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The earlier movie ended with a rather out-there finale that saw its 12-year-old protagonist, Spike (Alfie Williams), encounter a bizarre gang of blond-wigged, tracksuited, acrobatic zombie killers, all answering to the name of Jimmy.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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All justices voted down partisan lines, with the six conservative justices voting to uphold the ban and the three liberal justices voting against it.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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That language seems more geared for progressives than moderates, indicating Murphy may be resisting a label as a conservative and wants to make inroads with more liberal voters.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Tucked into San Francisco’s legendary Haight-Ashbury district, the Counterculture Museum invites you to relive the radical spirit of the 1960s—where psychedelic art, protest posters, and vintage vinyl trace a decade of rebellion, creativity, and cultural upheaval.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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But if Independents are able to participate in the GOP primaries, the radical GOP members would have a serious challenge.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unconventional. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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