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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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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Their relaxed drape feels modern and unfussy, striking the right balance between polish and comfort.—
Gabrielle Porcaro,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
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According to Makaym Dybenko, the system balances customization with military-standard compatibility, positioning DroneHunter Varta as a flexible counter-drone solution for modern combat environments.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Tip amounts received from other employees paid out through tip pools, tip splitting, or other formal/informal tip-sharing arrangements.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
14 Jan. 2026
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However, an informal, expatriate group of academics and professionals told TIME on Sunday that, per their calculations, protester deaths could have reached 6,000 through Saturday.—
Richard Hall,
Time,
14 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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Greene wasn’t in office long before most Democrats and a handful of Republicans voted to bar her from House committees over old social media posts surfaced that included violent rhetoric and out-there conspiracies.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
21 Nov. 2025
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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
Adjective
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But Jennings' liberal attitude toward the airing of his opinions, regardless of their content, almost cost him the job.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
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But in years since, the district has grown more liberal.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The radical republic that replaced it bore little resemblance to the partner of 1778, having descended into chaos, executions, and ideological extremism that threatened neighboring states.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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Such a gambit could well spell the end of NATO, as Denmark’s leader has warned, or at least its radical transformation, and test European unity, with huge implications for the continent’s security.—
Comfort Ero,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unconventional. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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