UNORTHODOX Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

unorthodox

adjective

ˌən-ˈȯr-thə-ˌdäks

Definition of unorthodox

as in unconventional

deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices a time when people with unorthodox religious views were banished from the colony

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in informal

not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules an unorthodox but effective procedure for opening a wine bottle without a corkscrew

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 unorthodox The Royals finish their unorthodox homestand, which was affected by the World Cup, with a rare Monday day game, then hit the road for a series in Baltimore and then New York. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026 But McClintock—secular, skeptical, profoundly unorthodox—wasn’t seeking the holy. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 July 2026 The unorthodox midterm convention comes as Democrats continue to poll stronger than Republicans ahead of November's critical elections. — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 1 July 2026 The San Francisco startup SPAN is taking an even more unorthodox approach by installing data center servers at suburban homes—a proposal that incorporates residential batteries and possibly solar panels for backup power. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unorthodox

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unorthodox

Adjective

Halsey takes an unconventional approach to a button-up top at Guizo’s new flagship store in Los Angeles on July 23.

— People Staff, PEOPLE, 25 July 2026
Environmental regulations were already in place in 2008 when the unconventional Marcellus Shale gas boom began, but conventional drilling dates to the Drake well in 1859 – long before modern environmental oversight existed.

— Nathaniel Warner, The Conversation, 24 July 2026

Definition of unconventional

Adjective

Enforcing that guideline would preserve the darkness of the night sky and allow astronomers to continue cutting-edge science using modern telescopes.

— Chris Young July 28, Refractor, 28 July 2026
The menu is modern Dominican with international detours; think mofongo with crispy pork belly, fresh ceviches, seafood risotto, and desserts like flan and tres leches cake.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026

Definition of modern

Adjective

But in recent years, the informal community has become more active — and, at times, more divisive.

— William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026
What if every leader was expected to create transparent pathways for growth instead of relying on informal networks and chance opportunities?

— Shelley Zalis, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of informal

Adjective

On July 19, Cuban artist and dissident Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara arrived in Miami after a period when his whereabouts remained unknown following his release from Guanajay Prison.

— News Desk, Artforum, 21 July 2026
The dissident Bull Moose Party nominated former President Teddy Roosevelt for president after Republicans declined to do so.

— USA Today, USA Today, 21 July 2026

Definition of dissident

Adjective

Kelaidis reads their popularity as evidence that historical scholarship has become a kind of liberal jeremiad, offering moral reassurance through historical analogy.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
The voters filed the lawsuit in Dane County Circuit Court, located in Wisconsin's liberal capital city of Madison.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026

Definition of liberal

Adjective

Guitarist Adam Turay and trumpeter Ryan Easter both come from the jazzier side of the tracks, the former playing with Afro-R&B group the Narcotix, the latter with more out-there units like WRENS.

— Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026
The classic straight-leg silhouette is relaxed throughout, providing ease and movement to the style, balancing the more out-there design details.

— Irene Richardson, InStyle, 28 June 2026

Definition of out-there

Adjective

More than anything, the reparations movement—despite being marginal for most of my life—is part of the Black radical tradition, and this is my inheritance.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026
In a season of Cassandras, the most radical thing a citizen can do may also be the most ordinary.

— James Robenalt, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026

Definition of radical

Browse Nearby Words

unornamented

unorthodox

unorthodoxy

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Unorthodox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unorthodox. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of unorthodox

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on unorthodox

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

kludge

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

Popular in Wordplay

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes