as in dissident
deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices
a cattle-ranching family that took some time in getting used to their daughter's nonconformist adoption of vegetarianism
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in maverick
a person who does not conform to generally accepted standards or customs
always the nonconformist, she insisted on wearing red on St. Patrick's Day and not green like everyone else
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dissenter
a person who believes, teaches, or advocates something opposed to accepted beliefs
a nonconformist who was excommunicated from her church for her teachings
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nonconformist
Will Carless, USA Today, 17 Jan. 2026
As such, the city takes on its own distinctively sooty, nonconformist character.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 3 July 2024
In her breakthrough piece, Heretic, Graham is dressed in white and rebuffed and rebuked by a group of 12 women dressed in black: the punishment of the nonconformist.
—Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for nonconformist
Adjective
Once ridiculed and dismissed for his nonconformist views on vaccines, nutrition, and exercise, Kennedy now leads a vast legion of followers and acolytes.
—Will Carless, USA Today, 17 Jan. 2026
As such, the city takes on its own distinctively sooty, nonconformist character.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
Invariably, memorials devoted to these two nonconformists emphasized their complicated personalities.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 3 July 2024
In her breakthrough piece, Heretic, Graham is dressed in white and rebuffed and rebuked by a group of 12 women dressed in black: the punishment of the nonconformist.
—Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for nonconformist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonconformist
Adjective
-
Many in Syria’s dissident circles at first found Bashar’s awkwardness and shyness appealing.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
-
And anyone who dares to peek behind the curtain—journalists, dissident professors, activists, even, bizarrely, the Iranian president himself—becomes a threat to the regime.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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An exhibition in Beijing delving into anonymity, a key code of the house stemming back to the founder Martin Margiela’s Greta Garbo-like ways — and the face-obscuring masks that have been a feature of the brand since the Belgian maverick arrived on the international fashion scene.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Miss Piggy the diva, Kermit the moral compass, Gonzo the maverick, etc.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Demanding papers, dragging away dissenters.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Tanenbaum is his sixth sitting justice, leaving the senior justice, Jorge Labarga, as a lonely dissenter facing mandatory retirement in October 2027.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Smith for some time has dangled the prospect of running as an unconventional candidate against a field of career politicians, but there’s a big gap between not ruling out a run and actually doing it.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
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Creative director Heginz Janvier transformed classic silhouettes such as trenchcoats and cargo pants into new offerings by creating them from technical fabrics and adding pockets in unconventional locations, such as above the ankles or on the waist.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But, a renegade locomotive is careening toward Los Angeles in its place.—
Jillian Sederholm,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
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Holding hands, terrace kisses and renegade servants?—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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
Noun
-
Catherine O’Hara portrayed ridiculous eccentrics with equal parts hilarity and humanity.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
10 Feb. 2026
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Greg Brown, the original guitarist and co-founding member of ’90s alt-rock eccentrics Cake, has died.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nonconformist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonconformist. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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