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

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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

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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

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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 unorthodox approach raises questions for the Reeder family about police’s investigative strategy. — Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026 The Celtics will play in the opening game of the 2026-27 NBA season — and that game will feature a highly unorthodox start time. — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 2026 Now scientists are turning to more unorthodox approaches, including psilocybin therapy. — Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2026 In the first season, he was met with resistance on all fronts to his unorthodox methods of coaching, his ignorance of the sport, his sheer Americanness. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unorthodox

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unorthodox

Adjective

Screening the electron interactions weakened and ultimately eliminated superconductivity, supporting an unconventional mechanism for electron pairing.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
Inspired by the unconventional materials and craftsmanship of studio jewelry, the couple fell in love with art jewelry as collectible material culture.

— Livia Caligor, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of unconventional

Adjective

On paper, the January agreement between Damascus and the SDF provides a framework for resolving informal wartime boundaries and closed routes and for harmonizing competing duties and parallel systems of governance.

— Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
The minimum monthly salary for a state worker in Cuba is 3,210 pesos, currently less than $5 in the informal dollar exchange market.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of informal

Adjective

Stötzer nevertheless circulated the text as samizdat, setting her own testimony against the Stasi’s record of her activities—much as the dissident writer Jürgen Fuchs had done in his 1977 text Gedächtnisprotokolle (Memory Protocols).

— Elisa R. Linn, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Projects must be led by LGBTQ+ directors and screenwriters, or by professionals whose dissident gender identities and expressions inform their creative perspectives.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of dissident

Adjective

Petrov pointed to the Yabloko party, the longtime voice of the liberal opposition that campaigns for an end to the war.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
In those rulings, Roberts joined with the court’s three liberal justices and at least one other conservative justice.

— Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of liberal

Adjective

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
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

Definition of out-there

Adjective

His progressive pass zones, shaded most darkly near the halfway line in the opposition half, underline where Bard felt most comfortable passing from for Nice last term.

— Beren Cross, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Rachel Yve, who posted a 20-minute somatic sleep support session on InsightTimer, blends somatic exercises, breathwork and progressive muscle relaxation, including legs up the wall.

— Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of progressive

Adjective

Although his party is known for its pro-Russian and anti-immigration positions and other radical stances, Siegmund has avoided making extreme statements and presents himself as a man of the people.

— Geir Moulson, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2026
Cho herself prepared by consulting the late master of the form, Frederick Wiseman, who was unabashed about the tension between documentary filmaking’s often radical politics and the privilege required to turn it into a profession.

— Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of radical

Browse Nearby Words

unornamented

unorthodox

unorthodoxy

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“Unorthodox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unorthodox. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of unorthodox

adjective

Example Sentences

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