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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unconventional
All three are now on streaming as Celine Song’s unconventional rom … drama hits HBO Max this week.
—
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2025
The San Diego Padres hired former reliever Craig Stammen to be their new manager in an unconventional move.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
The strategy is an unconventional tactic, given that Mamdani represents just one city.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
Stammen becomes the third unconventional managerial hire this offseason.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2025
The San Diego Padres hired former reliever Craig Stammen to be their new manager in an unconventional move.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
The strategy is an unconventional tactic, given that Mamdani represents just one city.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
Stammen becomes the third unconventional managerial hire this offseason.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unconventional
Adjective
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The recipient was the dissident theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who had been imprisoned several months earlier, on account of his opposition to the Nazi regime.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2025
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Among them were 17 members of the Iranian dissident organization Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK).—
Beth Bailey,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In short, the great task before us is to revisit and reimagine America’s founding fight as a creation story in the making of our modern world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Anyone vaguely near the aesthetic gets christened it by fans, including Bassvictim, who were always funnier and more creative than the other modern electroclash revivalists.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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During the 2020 cycle, disinformation targeting Black voters has been spreading through informal channels on social media, according to a report by NBC News.—
David Smiley,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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The informal meeting represents the first layer in the appeals process the district is entitled to avail itself of, Lecholop said.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Nov. 2025
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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Advertisement Her victory also carries national implications for Democrats, who are struggling to chart a path between progressive energy and centrist caution ahead of the 2026 midterms.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
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One person familiar with Tuesday’s heated discussion within the caucus says there appears to be at least eight Democratic votes to reopen the government — even though progressive Democratic senators vented their frustration with the potential deal.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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That group — which also included voices from prominent genre brands like Vinegar Syndrome, Fangoria, MPI Media, Alter, and more — toasted not just the scariest cinema but the most out-there media of all kinds.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
21 Oct. 2025
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Every Tuesday, a corner of the Mezquitán market turns into a massive secondhand clothing bazaar, with heaps of statement vintage finds and out-there patterned fabrics spread out over long tables.—
David Shortell,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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From the perspective of a world of increasingly unimaginable maldistribution of resources, cascading ecological collapse, a genocide cheered on by a putatively liberal order, both are barbarisms.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Rodriguez is running in the 21st Assembly District, which is also leans more liberal after the 2024 adoption of new electoral maps.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Somehow, in honoring the group’s women, from the rageful housewife Margie (Betsy Aidem) to the radical author Celeste (Kristolyn Lloyd), Flood’s outpouring becomes a lament.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
7 Nov. 2025
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Her work has been featured in retreats, leadership circles, and coaching programs, where she is celebrated for her emotional depth and ability to catalyze radical transformation.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unconventional. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
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