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 The unorthodox midterm convention comes as Democrats continue to poll stronger than Republicans ahead of November's critical elections. — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 1 July 2026 Mozeliak then spent the 2025 season in an unorthodox transition year with the Cardinals’ current president of baseball operations, Chaim Bloom. — Sam Blum, New York Times, 27 June 2026 The purists were always going to take issue with a Prancing Horse that had an electric powertrain instead of snarling internal combustion engine, but its unorthodox design, courtesy of Jony Ivy’s LoveFrom studio, has received just as much criticism. — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 26 June 2026 The San Francisco startup SPAN is taking an even more unorthodox approach by installing data center servers at suburban homes—a proposal that incorporates residential batteries and possibly solar panels for backup power. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 1 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
  • Your unconventional ideas land better when people can experience them instead of only hearing about them.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2026
  • While seemingly an unconventional choice, Sandler, Swift and Kelce have been in each other's orbit for several years.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 4 July 2026
Definition of unconventional
Adjective
  • In a statement, an AT&T spokesperson said modern alternatives to copper hold up better during disasters and said landline service wouldn’t be discontinued until at least June 1, 2027.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026
  • The asymmetrical silhouette is also fresh and modern, and Quince's supple Italian nappa leather looks far more expensive than its price.
    — Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of modern
Adjective
  • But the series also goes behind the scenes to explore how an informal gathering grew into a big-budget, heavily regulated event.
    — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The alliance grew out of an informal coalition that included organizations tied to Ananas Anam, Bananatex and Regenerate Fashion.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 7 July 2026
Definition of informal
Adjective
  • Five long-standing Iranian dissident groups, including PJAK, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Freedom Party, had formed an alliance, Reuters also reported.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
  • Dislocation from tariffs, onshoring, war, oil, and supply shocks present opportunities for dissident shareholders to show laggards the way.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of dissident
Adjective
  • Some prominent liberal legal scholars even attempted to defend substantive-due-process rights using originalist and textualist methods.
    — Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 July 2026
  • In a stark move, liberal Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor directly criticized Thomas' claim in a joint opinion.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of liberal
Adjective
  • The classic straight-leg silhouette is relaxed throughout, providing ease and movement to the style, balancing the more out-there design details.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 28 June 2026
  • The ballerina sneaker trend is just the latest in a line of kooky shoe creations that range from wearable to wildly out-there.
    — Aemilia Madden, Glamour, 18 June 2026
Definition of out-there
Adjective
  • According to the report, the boy first developed progressive facial numbness and tingling on the right side of his face, followed by loss of appetite, painful swallowing and vomiting.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • But its original progressive elements have not only lasted, but become the law of the entire land — from sea to shining sea.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of progressive
Adjective
  • That’s what Rebecca Loviconi‘s ‘genre fusion’ feature doc Crime or Rescue will reveal, as the ‘romantic true crime’ story that’s set to hit the doc market follows radical animal activists who unexpectedly fall in love during the filming.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 July 2026
  • Alfaturk16’s leak locks in a July 22 release date for the new Galaxy Watches, potentially giving Samsung just a few weeks to unveil what could prove to be a radical addition to the company’s wearable portfolio.
    — Paul Monckton, Forbes.com, 5 July 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 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of unorthodox for Spanish Speakers

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