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
Even at the top of the career ladder, being intentional about focus becomes more important than ever, the 61-year-old said—and his own approach is notably unconventional.
—
Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
Mercury highlights your 4th House of Home and sextiles unconventional Uranus in your 6th House of Daily Routine, creating momentum for practical adjustments.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2026
Coverage at Interesting Engineering spans emerging technologies, novel manufacturing methods, and unconventional approaches to long-standing problems.
—Interesting Engineering, 14 Apr. 2026
The unconventional configuration grew out of necessity as much as design.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
Mercury highlights your 4th House of Home and sextiles unconventional Uranus in your 6th House of Daily Routine, creating momentum for practical adjustments.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2026
Coverage at Interesting Engineering spans emerging technologies, novel manufacturing methods, and unconventional approaches to long-standing problems.
—Interesting Engineering, 14 Apr. 2026
The unconventional configuration grew out of necessity as much as design.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unconventional
Adjective
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Guerrilla groups such as Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN), dissident FARC factions and Venezuelan criminal organizations operate across mining zones, frequently imposing taxes on miners and controlling pits through violence.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
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There's the dissident intelligence officer Helmuth von Moltke, a conservative who seeks to work from inside against the Nazis (he gets hanged for his trouble).—
John Powers,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Velvet banquette couches and mid-century modern furniture punctuate roomy seating areas throughout the hotel, along with two main restaurant venues, an elegant cocktail bar, and a cozy coffee shop.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Apr. 2026
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Thematic ambition, a sense of the something to be expressed beyond a central romance, rivalry, or farce, propels modern musical hits too, as in Hairspray, or Wicked, or (no duh) Hamilton.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In South Africa the Singita Lowveld Trust and AndBeyond’s Wild Impact teamed up to launch the Hustle Economy, a program that identifies and mentors community members with micro-enterprises such as spaza shops, hair-care services, jewelry retail, and informal eateries.—
Jen Murphy,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
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In an email, Roberts said Foster played no formal or informal role in linking him to the player.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
22 Apr. 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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Her announcement touched off a new round of progressive candidates backing away from the Iron Dome.—
Andrew Lapin,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
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Wagner is among a bevy of hosts from progressive outlet Crooked Media who can be seen on MS NOW every Saturday night at 9 in clips from the collective’s sundry podcasts.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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That’s why the wake is such an out-there sequence.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Apr. 2026
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But there were plenty of out-there, single-use apps, like one that dropped motorcycles from the ceiling.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The liberal media, members of the woke mob, and plenty within the Cubs’ fanbase took exception to the then-rookie missing one regular-season game a year ago to honor his late friend, days after he was brutally murdered in front of the entire world.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
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Many told me the liberal media had smeared them as racists, xenophobes and misogynists.—
Nataliya Gumenyuk,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The trio, and others in their intellectual circle, share a few radical views.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
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No, the blame falls on moderate Democrats, who knew darn well what progressives and progressivism represented but did nothing to prevent the radical left from engineering a takeover of their party.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unconventional. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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