1
as in unconventional
deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices
a time when people with unorthodox religious views were banished from the colony
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2
as in modern
not bound by traditional ways or beliefs
raised by an aunt, whose unorthodox parenting practices made for a strange but fun childhood
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3
as in informal
not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules
an unorthodox but effective procedure for opening a wine bottle without a corkscrew
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unorthodox
The unorthodox Pratt campaign is almost certain to demand a recount if their candidate doesn’t make the top two and eligibility for November, sources close to events tell Deadline.
—
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 7 June 2026
Exchanging stock may seem unorthodox, but more nontraditional methods of buying a house are increasingly becoming available.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Furthermore, her re-recording of several of her earlier albums — an unorthodox but revolutionary move in the industry — allowed Swift to regain ownership of her music, thus earning her own royalties.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
Ballooning electricity demand from AI data centers in the US is pushing companies and regulators to consider unorthodox — and aggressive — solutions.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unorthodox
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 7 June 2026
Exchanging stock may seem unorthodox, but more nontraditional methods of buying a house are increasingly becoming available.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Furthermore, her re-recording of several of her earlier albums — an unorthodox but revolutionary move in the industry — allowed Swift to regain ownership of her music, thus earning her own royalties.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
Ballooning electricity demand from AI data centers in the US is pushing companies and regulators to consider unorthodox — and aggressive — solutions.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unorthodox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unorthodox
Adjective
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Most unconventional of all was their repertoire.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
18 June 2026
-
Often considered one of the worst films of all time, the movie has become a cult favorite thanks to its bizarre storytelling and unconventional filmmaking style.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
The backstory What appears to be a modern building actually has quite a bit of local history.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
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He is best known for proposing the theory of cosmic inflation, a concept that transformed modern understanding of the early universe and the evolution of the big bang.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Frequently informal and poorly regulated, both virgin and recycled polyester supply chains can expose workers to severe human-rights risks, including harassment, violence and abuse.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
17 June 2026
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Some of her success with collaborators seems to have come down to luck and an eye for talent, as in the case of the still-up-and-coming Elswit and Oppewall, who served as her informal producers during filming.—
Elaina Patton,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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The striped abstract paintings throughout the installation are based on polo shirts worn by Cuban state security agents who blend into crowds during protests, while gladiolus flowers reference the Ladies in White dissident movement.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
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These included eight members of Iranian dissident organization People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOE/MEK) and 24 participants in Iran’s January 2026 protests.—
Beth Bailey,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Rambling usually ignores it when Dean Cain posts one of his tirades against liberal Hollywood.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
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An unwritten rule reserving membership for liberal democracies keeps authoritarian China out, even as its trade surplus, rare minerals, military buildup and huge carbon footprint dominate the summit’s agenda.—
John Leicester,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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This is also by far the coolest crowd at the festival, a sea of designer outfits, out-there silhouettes, fresh haircuts, and even bouquets of flowers.—
E.R. Pulgar,
SPIN,
10 June 2026
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Inevitably, this information vacuum has encouraged some pretty out-there speculation.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Geevarghese, the Our Revolution executive director, said local elections are often where political movements are first built, and that Mamdani has provided a blueprint for progressive candidates.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
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And the man who held the keys to that arsenal just happened to be one of the most progressive presidents black America has ever known.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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In a world of collapsing trust in public-facing institutions, voters say they are drawn by Reform’s promises of a radical change from the old Labour-Conservative Party duopoly.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
18 June 2026
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John Maynard Keynes dreamed of an end to work, and some of the most radical and visionary progressive utopias today involve envisioning an abundant society beyond the need for labor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unorthodox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unorthodox. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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