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
As the book shows, these unorthodox methods drew both publicity and criticism.
—
Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
Paul won his first fight against fellow YouTuber Ali Eson Gib, in a performance that showed some sort of promise, albeit against an opponent who was unorthodox at best.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025
Close also blazed a trail in the mid-aughts by taking major roles on series like The Shield (2005) and Damages (2007–2012), which was unorthodox for A-list film stars at the time.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025
This inexperienced crew of 20-somethings takes on unorthodox jobs to build their brand and pay rent.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unorthodox
Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
Paul won his first fight against fellow YouTuber Ali Eson Gib, in a performance that showed some sort of promise, albeit against an opponent who was unorthodox at best.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025
Close also blazed a trail in the mid-aughts by taking major roles on series like The Shield (2005) and Damages (2007–2012), which was unorthodox for A-list film stars at the time.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025
This inexperienced crew of 20-somethings takes on unorthodox jobs to build their brand and pay rent.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unorthodox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unorthodox
Adjective
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And do recruiters or hiring managers know how to look at someone’s unconventional resume and see promise instead of difference?—
Benjamin Wolff,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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But this game, which ended in a 1-1 tie, was also a bit unconventional, as both goals were scored on penalty kicks in the final minutes.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Between one and three of those finalists will be inducted into the Hall along with between three and five modern-era players from a group of 15 finalists.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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Powell has always said central bank independence is essential to the stability of any modern economy.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Nearly two dozen European football association heads held informal talks in Budapest last week to discuss their participation in the World Cup.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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But they were still politically left behind, among the millions of informal squatters who lived in Manila without owning any of it.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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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Opponents worry institutions with more liberal ideologies will file false petitions.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
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Otherwise disparate segments of Iranian society, such as the conservative Bazaari merchants hitherto largely loyal to the clerics and more liberal and secular Iranian youth, shared this overarching goal.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Throughout, the out-there design has been paired with state-of-the-art tech and security upgrades.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
27 Jan. 2026
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Wilde can turn the most out-there line into an afterthought.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But even at a progressive institution like Antioch, Coretta encountered the quiet betrayal of liberal hypocrisy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
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But donations from progressive groups have only rarely flowed their way.—
Charles Duhigg,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Continue reading … PAST TRUTHS – Joe Rogan exposes Democrats' radical immigration shift as viral Obama clip resurfaces.—
,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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In a world optimized for ease, choosing to think may become a radical act.—
Rodger Dean Duncan,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unorthodox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unorthodox. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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