heterodox

adjective

ˈhe-tə-rə-ˌdäks How to pronounce heterodox (audio)
Definition of heterodoxnext
1
as in dissident
deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices a Christian clergyman with a very heterodox opinion on the divinity of Jesus

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2
as in unconventional
not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules her heterodox approach to teaching science initially met with some resistance from her peers

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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 heterodox Mollino—a heterodox figure who, from the margins, influenced the trajectory of twentieth-century design—likely never spent a single night there; its existence was only discovered after his death. — Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026 Maybe Maine Dems have concluded that moral purity tests are politically suicidal after years of watching heterodox figures like Joe Rogan and Elon Musk drift away from the party. — Matt K. Lewis, Mercury News, 5 June 2026 Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison’s appointment of Weiss, who founded the heterodox digital news site the Free Press, came with a mandate to pull the news division to the political center. — Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026 In Syria, an equivalent system existed under the Assad dynasty, in which rural Alawites (a heterodox sect that emerged from Shiism) dominated the security agencies that policed a Sunni majority. — Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heterodox
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heterodox
  1. dissident
  2. unconventional
  3. heretical
  4. informal
  5. dissenting
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
  • 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 the 14th century, Bibles in English became associated with John Wycliffe, a priest who criticized corruption in the Catholic Church, and whose views on Holy Communion the church had declared heretical.
    — Michael Bruening, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
  • This point can sound almost heretical in modern healthcare discourse, where prevention is frequently framed as both morally superior and financially inevitable.
    — Jeffrey Wessler, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Definition of heretical
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
  • Board member Renee Paschall cast the lone dissenting vote on the final package.
    — Elizabeth Sander, San Antonio Express-News, 19 Aug. 2022
  • 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
Definition of dissenting

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Cite this Entry

“Heterodox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heterodox. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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