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 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 All the grumbling about its powertrain and unorthodox styling didn’t stop it from selling out. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 1 Aug. 2026 Covering areas that are usually home to another sport isn’t easy, either, as was shown by the patches of darker grass that again lent the pitch an unorthodox feel. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 30 July 2026 But this isn't the first electronic music fest to introduce fine dining in an unorthodox setting. — Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 23 July 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
  • Middlemarch George Eliot’s unconventional Victorian novel upends expectations while crafting a complex portrait of family and individual life in fictional Middlemarch, North Loamshire.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
  • In it, Leó, a renowned geriatrician specialized in Alzheimer’s disease, develops an unconventional friendship with Ásdís, a psychiatrist who’s returned to Iceland to care for her ailing grandmother.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of unconventional
Adjective
  • There’s a keen juxtaposition of the old and the modern throughout this part of Edinburgh, where buildings made of ancient volcanic sandstone accommodate hip boutiques like record store Underground Solu'shn and coffee shops like The Milkman.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Okuyama emphasizes a focus on lightweight construction and a direct human connection, using traditional craftsmanship alongside modern tech.
    — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of modern
Adjective
  • His experience impelled him to join an informal yet determined community of researchers, doctors, and patients pushing for extra studies to help patients and doctors find the right dosage for an array of cancer drugs.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Judge Roach reminded both sides that he was not bound by any informal agreement.
    — CBS Texas Staff, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of informal
Adjective
  • The lawsuit comes less than a year after Schwapp asked state officials to prosecute dissident Town Council member Shamar Mahon for allegedly living in Hartford while serving in Bloomfield.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The operation, conducted by the army and the Colombian Aerospace Force in the municipality of Mapiripán, also killed three other members of the dissident group, De la Espriella said Sunday.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of dissident
Adjective
  • Americans and Europeans who identify as leftist or liberal tend to have fewer children than those who identify as conservative or right-leaning.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The three finalists are liberal strongholds surrounded by the type of suburban areas that have become increasingly important to the party in recent elections.
    — Mike Catalini, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 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
  • Black Americans were struggling against the legacy of Jim Crow, and Abdeen interned with Ernest Goodman, a civil-rights lawyer who was reviving the National Lawyers Guild, a collective of progressive legal professionals.
    — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Several political programs returned to the chart this quarter, including Mark Levin Podcast, Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar, The David Pakman Show, Pivot, and Piers Morgan Uncensored, spanning both progressive and conservative audiences.
    — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of progressive
Adjective
  • The Khmer Rouge group that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979 was accused of genocide for causing the deaths of so many countrymen from executions, starvation and lack of medical care due to its radical policies.
    — Sopheng Cheang, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Legalization makes that imagery easy to flatten, but Frankie lighting a joint in that guy’s driveway still feels like a radical act.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 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 24 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of unorthodox for Spanish Speakers

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