UNWONTED Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

unwonted

adjective

ˌən-ˈwȯn-təd

Definition of unwonted

as in unusual

being out of the ordinary honored for the unwonted courage he showed in battle

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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 unwonted Batson posed a follow-up question about the uncertainty principle, politely requesting a reply without unwonted nonsense about bananas. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026 As in most wars, the most onerous burden falls on those who did not sign up for their unwonted parts in this great 21st century drama. — New York Times, 1 Mar. 2021 The unwonted activism of the Christian Democratic chancellor met with skepticism in the United States, in Europe, and certainly in Russia. — Elizabeth Pond, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2015

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unwonted

Adjective

The order of events in the Weeks recusal was somewhat unusual.

— Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2026
Scheels argued this year that the Ada County Assessor’s Office had overvalued its unusual building.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of unusual

Adjective

Preservation had traditionally focused only on exceptional buildings, and protected them by more or less freezing them in place.

— Julian Rose, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
Proton offers exceptional cybersecurity (partially because it’s based in Switzerland, which has very strict data-protection laws).

— Oscar Hartzog, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of exceptional

Adjective

Its integrated thermal, visual, acoustic, and gas sensors detect overheating, leaks, abnormal noise, and equipment wear, logging every reading directly to its corresponding asset.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
This finding hints at potential applications in neurodevelopmental conditions that involve abnormal connectivity, such as schizophrenia, but also those involving memory impairment, such as dementia.

— Simon Makin, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of abnormal

Adjective

This mix between college town, nature oasis and state capital gives Madison a unique flare, pairing beloved nightlife spaces with a growing trail network.

— Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
The state must show compassion for the unique geography of our neighborhood.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of unique

Adjective

Anyway, aside from the odd finish, what the Bowl audience got in the broader sense was far from an anticlimax in the overall scheme of things.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026
His other weapon was his voice, at once coldly precise and dangerously soft; never before had Malkovich’s distinctly odd cadences sounded so menacing.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of odd

Adjective

Voting by noncitizens and fraud involving mail ballots are both rare.

— Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Back in 2023, Stevens revealed he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare auto-immune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves—and was working to relearn how to walk and use his hands.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of rare

Adjective

Prescription treatments are also uncommon, given to fewer than 1 in 1,000 adolescents who have commercial insurance, according to another study.

— Bram Sable-Smith, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026
To be clear, praying for political leaders is hardly novel or uncommon, and the bishops who prayed for blessings could just as easily have been doing so for any supplicant.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of uncommon

Browse Nearby Words

unwomanly

unwonted

unworkable

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“Unwonted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unwonted. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of unwonted

adjective

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