1
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Viola, who took over as owner in 2015, has done his part to make sure hockey had the potential to thrive in an unorthodox market like South Florida.
—
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 11 May 2025
Trump’s secretary of health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has broad and unorthodox views on a number of topics and has promised to shake up everything from fluoridation in water to vaccines to food additives.
—Philissa Cramer, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2025
John Mulaney can’t help but play favorites a bit discussing the different parts of his unorthodox weekly talk show Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney.
—Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 7 May 2025
The importance of the programs justifies the unorthodox budget move, backers of the bills said, especially when lawmakers spent the year making deep cuts to state spending.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unorthodox
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 11 May 2025
Trump’s secretary of health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has broad and unorthodox views on a number of topics and has promised to shake up everything from fluoridation in water to vaccines to food additives.
—Philissa Cramer, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2025
John Mulaney can’t help but play favorites a bit discussing the different parts of his unorthodox weekly talk show Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney.
—Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 7 May 2025
The importance of the programs justifies the unorthodox budget move, backers of the bills said, especially when lawmakers spent the year making deep cuts to state spending.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unorthodox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unorthodox
Adjective
-
Consider a colleague who presented unconventional ideas in meetings or pursued a less traditional career path.—
Glenn Llopis,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
-
Featured prominently on many critics’ best-of-year lists, the book has captivated readers around the world, sparking a cultural dialogue around female desire, aging and unconventional relationships.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
23 May 2025
Adjective
-
These are the type of stories that have long helped make the modern US military so distinctive.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
26 May 2025
-
Rethinking Returns on Investment The modern belief that science must deliver measurable economic returns is, historically speaking, a relatively recent development.—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Adjective
-
With its gleaming cabinetry, large central island and ample space for a large table and chairs for informal meals, this area has an undeniable contemporary feel and visual appeal.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2025
-
This exemption enabled informal workers and women who had had career gaps due to childrearing, for instance, to retire with some security.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
In 1735, dissident publisher John Peter Zenger was charged with seditious libel for criticizing New York’s royal governor.—
Mike Fox,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2025
-
Further down the totem pole, hundreds of thousands of white-collar professionals—particularly in IT, finance, and business services—are benefiting from higher salaries as their dissident peers emigrate and their skills become scarcer.—
ALEXANDER GABUEV,
Foreign Affairs,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Some liberal critics on social media say that Republicans did not seem to take issue when the same slogan — or even more violent rhetoric — was targeted at a Democratic president.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
16 May 2025
-
The ice cream company is known for supporting liberal causes and candidates.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
For now, there’s nothing quite so out-there, although deer blood is the star ingredient in the final dessert, a chocolate-ish (but cocoa-free) fondant served with hazelnut praline and malt ice cream.—
Ann Abel,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
-
An out-there premise, for sure, but one that has so far worked out better than anyone had a right to expect.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Five years after Floyd’s killing, police backers say public opinion has largely swung back in favor of aggressive law enforcement, pointing to voter decisions last year to pass tough-on-crime legislation and oust progressive prosecutors.—
Hailey Branson-Potts,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
-
What To Know In a post on X, formerly Twitter, progressive political action committee VoteVets criticized the Trump administration for the cutbacks, as well as the president's senior advisor and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) frontman Elon Musk.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 May 2025
Adjective
-
That is the question as Mexicans go to the polls Sunday to elect the country’s judges in a radical reshaping of the nation’s power structure.—
Patrick J. McDonnell,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2025
-
Ballerini previously described Patterns as a reflection of personal growth and radical self-acceptance.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unorthodox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unorthodox. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share