nontraditional
adjective
non·tra·di·tion·al
ˌnän-trə-ˈdish-nəl 
-ˈdi-shə-nᵊl
: not following or conforming to tradition : not adhering to past practices or conventions : not traditional
a nontraditional family
nontraditional students
nontraditional menu items
Many use nontraditional teaching techniques, and they deliberately draw their students from beyond traditional neighborhood boundaries …—
Thomas Toch
Thomas Toch
nontraditionally
adverb
… to learn how to build and sell cars nontraditionally …
—Michael Schrage
Michael Schrage
Examples of nontraditional in a Sentence
a nontraditional couple who are planning a very unconventional wedding
Recent Examples on the Web
Like Zilisch, van Gisbergen has taken a nontraditional path to the Cup series.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Because Adofo-Mensah’s nontraditional background faced significant resistance over his four seasons with the franchise, the Vikings are likely to seek someone with more experience as an evaluator and manager.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Boone County Schools in Northern Kentucky are closed and Campbell and Kenton are on a nontraditional learning day, operating remotely.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 Feb. 2026
Several area school districts have also either closed or moved to nontraditional instruction in the wake of the extremely cold temperatures in the region.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nontraditional
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Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Because Adofo-Mensah’s nontraditional background faced significant resistance over his four seasons with the franchise, the Vikings are likely to seek someone with more experience as an evaluator and manager.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Boone County Schools in Northern Kentucky are closed and Campbell and Kenton are on a nontraditional learning day, operating remotely.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 Feb. 2026
Several area school districts have also either closed or moved to nontraditional instruction in the wake of the extremely cold temperatures in the region.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nontraditional
Cite this Entry
“Nontraditional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nontraditional. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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