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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in modern
not bound by traditional ways or beliefs
had unconventional opinions on the raising of children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in informal
not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules
young, creative people who lead unconventional but fulfilling lifestyles
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Born in Hamilton, Ontario in 1947 and raised in suburban Toronto, Dryden took an unconventional approach to his hockey career from the beginning.
—
Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Some even praised her for being open about something so unconventional.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Consider Turkey, where the president’s unconventional, illogical view that lower interest rates would tame inflation has led to a yearslong price spiral and the collapse of the country’s currency.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
In High Potential, Olson stars as a single mother with an unconventional knack for solving crimes, alongside Sunjata, Javicia Leslie (Daphne Forrester), Deniz Akdeniz (Oz), Amirah J (Ava Gillroy), Matthew Lamb (Elliot Radovic) and Judy Reyes (Selena Soto).
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Some even praised her for being open about something so unconventional.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Consider Turkey, where the president’s unconventional, illogical view that lower interest rates would tame inflation has led to a yearslong price spiral and the collapse of the country’s currency.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
In High Potential, Olson stars as a single mother with an unconventional knack for solving crimes, alongside Sunjata, Javicia Leslie (Daphne Forrester), Deniz Akdeniz (Oz), Amirah J (Ava Gillroy), Matthew Lamb (Elliot Radovic) and Judy Reyes (Selena Soto).
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unconventional
Adjective
-
Michel was accused of helping Low run foreign-influence campaigns against the U.S., such as funneling money from Low to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, as well as lobbying Donald Trump’s administration to drop an investigation into Low and extradite the dissident Chinese billionaire.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The film follows a reclusive mortician who faces an unusual request from a dissident singer in hiding.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The planes are modern, with the average aircraft being less than seven years old.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Sep. 2025
-
In the modern game, from Tests to T20s and The Hundred, each side will now tend to include more than one gun fielder.—
James Wallace,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Even as liberal-seeming Amir invites Yusuf to join the Muslim Association, an informal organization of male Arab landowners, Yusuf’s father is killed in a night-time confrontation with the settlers.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The only time this percentage has been higher since City joined the informal ranks of that group was in 2009, at the outset of their Abu Dhabi project.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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
-
Today’s progressive lenses offer a workaround.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Radcliffe is Newland Archer, a handsome, progressive, and intelligent society gentleman who craves a deeper and more passionate connection to the world and someone in it.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Too cruel, too pointed, and way too out-there, at least in the world that Roach and McNamara have previously knit together.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
26 Aug. 2025
-
What were some other out-there ideas that never came to fruition?—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The area is a vast, rural, mountainous tract of forests with a political ethos that resembles Texas more than Los Angeles, San Francisco, the state capital of Sacramento, and other liberal Democratic environs.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The comments section of the New York Times, once the natural home of blithe, unexamined liberal Zionism, now abounds with people calling for a total suspension of military aid and diplomatic cover.—
Jack Sheehan
September 4,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
As in the crowded Arsenale itself, anything more radical to be found in the pavilion is buried under dioramas and walls of texts.—
Kate Wagner,
Curbed,
5 Sep. 2025
-
To be clear, this isn’t a radical new idea.—
Wendy Barnes,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unconventional. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share