unconventional

adjective

un·​con·​ven·​tion·​al ˌən-kən-ˈven(t)-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce unconventional (audio)
Synonyms of unconventionalnext
: not conventional : not bound by or in accordance with convention : being out of the ordinary
an unconventional outfit
an unconventional thinker
unconventionally adverb

Examples of unconventional in a Sentence

Her lifestyle is rather unconventional. the Shakers acquired their name because of their unconventional practice of dancing with shaking movements during worship
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Mars in your 4th House of Inner Needs teams up with unconventional Uranus in your 6th House of Habits to support smoother routines. Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026 Chen knows a thing or two about betting on unconventional talent. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026 Addressing a persistent engineering challenge in sustainable UAV design, researchers from Northwestern Polytechnical University’s School of Civil Aviation in China have developed a system that bridges the gap between unconventional materials and high-performance autonomous control. Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026 Born in Louisiana in 1959, Freeman took an unconventional path to acting. Kennedy French, Variety, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unconventional

Word History

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unconventional was in 1835

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unconventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unconventional. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

unconventional

adjective
un·​con·​ven·​tion·​al ˌən-kən-ˈvench-nəl How to pronounce unconventional (audio)
-ən-ᵊl
: not conventional : not bound by or in agreement with convention
unconventional behavior
unconventionality noun
unconventionally
-ˈvench-nə-lē
-ən-ᵊl-ē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unconventional

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster