ˌən-kən-ˈven(t)-sh(ə-)nəl
1
as in dissident
deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices
the Shakers acquired their name because of their unconventional practice of dancing with shaking movements during worship
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in modern
not bound by traditional ways or beliefs
had unconventional opinions on the raising of children
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in informal
not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules
young, creative people who lead unconventional but fulfilling lifestyles
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of unconventional
The collective excitement generated by pursuing unconventional possibilities will foster a culture of collaboration and camaraderie.
—
Rebecca Ahmed, Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
But Goebel’s sharp dialogue, razor plotting and fiery sense of Los Angeles elevate his unconventional characters.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
The Lim family has been advised to seal off the area beneath their house — closing the door on one sow’s unconventional den site.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Stark has long used corsetry techniques in unconventional ways.
—ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Rebecca Ahmed, Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
But Goebel’s sharp dialogue, razor plotting and fiery sense of Los Angeles elevate his unconventional characters.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
The Lim family has been advised to seal off the area beneath their house — closing the door on one sow’s unconventional den site.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
Stark has long used corsetry techniques in unconventional ways.
—ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unconventional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unconventional
Adjective
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Part of a wave of dissident departures, Carvajal’s defection was akin to a dam breaking, then-US Senator Marco Rubio said at the time.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The government has blamed the attacks on the Jaime Martínez faction, a dissident group of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, operating in the region that did not adhere to the peace accord signed with the state in 2016.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Yet another secondary effect of the Iran war is the expansion of modern drone warfare to the Persian Gulf region.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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Clinics use modern equipment and high-quality materials and keep prices affordable.—
K.H. Koehler,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In the early 1980s, Murphy and a few associates ran an informal back channel between the United States and the Soviet Union.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
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For households where one member frequently travels or serves in demanding roles, the app offers a way to pass along knowledge that might otherwise remain informal.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Board member Renee Paschall cast the lone dissenting vote on the final package.—
Elizabeth Sander,
San Antonio Express-News,
19 Aug. 2022
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The document runs to more than a hundred and fifty pages, and for each question there are affirmative and dissenting studies, as well as some that indicate mixed results.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
3 June 2022
Adjective
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Knock on doors, raise money for progressive candidates, and mobilize your friends, neighbors, colleagues and acquaintances.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
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Despite taking a progressive stand on labor, the Church nonetheless defended industrialization and private-property rights, forging a middle way that rejected both unfettered capitalism and socialism.—
Elias Wachtel,
The Atlantic,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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As a performer, these characters are out-there.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2026
-
That’s why the wake is such an out-there sequence.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The three liberal-leaning justices are not in attendance.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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By late October 2018, at age 25, she was being feted as the new ambassador for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, and was mere weeks away from earning a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from Arizona State University (having transferred from UNC Charlotte).—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Firecracker became extremely loyal to Homelander and regurgitated his radical conservative views to the public.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
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But there’s also a risk for cooptation, with the most radical components of the movement being sidelined either because of pragmatism (prioritizing the work that can get funded) or discomfort.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unconventional. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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