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unorthodox

adjective

ˌən-ˈȯr-thə-ˌdäks How to pronounce unorthodox (audio)
Definition of unorthodoxnext
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

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 unorthodox The property’s unorthodox form also proved to be useful during the NBA Finals in June, when a pizzeria projected games onto the side of the building. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 27 Aug. 2026 The unorthodox generator engine, which powered all types of workhorse vehicles between 1959 and 1991, sits neatly inside its wheeled cart. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 19 Aug. 2026 In a statement, the district attorney’s office didn’t rule out the unorthodox move and called on more witnesses in the case to come forward. — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 The unorthodox approach raises questions for the Reeder family about police’s investigative strategy. — Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unorthodox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unorthodox
  1. unconventional
  2. modern
  3. informal
  4. dissident
  5. liberal
  6. out-there
  7. progressive
  8. radical
Adjective
  • From the start, Paul’s unconventional and volatile romantic relationships were central to the series.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Nobody lives here permanently—only rotating teams of scientists, engineers, and unconventional travelers.
    — Hana Al-Khodairi, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of unconventional
Adjective
  • What may have surprised even modern sports fans, however, was Ole Miss' suing two of its former players who followed former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin to his new position as head football coach at LSU.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • In the heart of East Nashville, this two-bedroom home is perfect for families and those looking for a long-term stay topped with modern appliances and laundry.
    — Sara Sturek, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of modern
Adjective
  • That calculation can reveal a sizable amount of informal self-insurance that never received the same planning, funding or governance as other financial obligations.
    — Randy Sadler, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Around 400 former students and leading industry professionals made the trek from Paris for a day of conferences and informal gatherings.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of informal
Adjective
  • Those include bringing the Kurdish peshmerga security forces in northern Iraq under control of the central government’s military and expelling Iranian Kurdish dissident groups and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, that have bases in the region.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • In addition to sharing that expertise with Mexican cartels, the use of drones in Colombia has also become commonplace among FARC dissident groups.
    — Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of dissident
Adjective
  • In contrast, Nate Coulter, executive director of the Central Arkansas Library System, filed a lawsuit regarding Act 372 of 2023, the common-sense library law, in Fayetteville before liberal Judge Timothy Brooks.
    — Robert Steinbuch, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Other liberal economists disdain labor share as a useful metric, or see it as a distraction from sober policy analysis.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of liberal
Adjective
  • Smith is having a banner year, with a solo show at Graham and a survey at MASS MoCA, plus an exhibition at Waldo, Tobias Czudej’s seasonal space in an out-there part of Maine.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026
  • They’re made from a faux leather that, frankly, looks really expensive, and are available in 20 colors, including some more out-there prints.
    — Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of out-there
Adjective
  • When a Black professor suggests that the protesting students are infringing on their classmates’ right to use shared areas, her white counterparts shake their heads in disgust for her refusal to capitulate to progressive groupthink.
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The inherent challenge in making films dealing with progressive illness is not succumbing to an inescapably formulaic structure that can’t help but go with the territory.
    — Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of progressive
Adjective
  • Niacinamide soothes and evens tone, while rice bran extract conditions skin and helps defend against free-radical damage.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Medical advances and especially vaccination — a radical concept, once — have nearly eliminated childhood diseases that killed up to half of children before age 5 when the nation was founded.
    — Jonathan Fahey, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of radical

Browse Nearby Words

unornamented
unorthodox
unorthodoxy
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Cite this Entry

“Unorthodox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unorthodox. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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