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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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
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Unlike her sister Daphne, Eloise's character is a nonconformist regarding society's ideals of what a woman should be, and her outfits portray that.
—
Kelsie Gibson,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
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
At least Guillén still speaks his mind on the Sox’s pre- and postgame shows, so maybe there’s hope for nonconformists after all.
—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Unlike her sister Daphne, Eloise's character is a nonconformist regarding society's ideals of what a woman should be, and her outfits portray that.
—
Kelsie Gibson,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonconformist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonconformist
Adjective
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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.
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Dislocation from tariffs, onshoring, war, oil, and supply shocks present opportunities for dissident shareholders to show laggards the way.
Noun
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His maverick persona and armored storm-chasing vehicle, the Dominator 3 — featured on Jay Leno’s Garage — directly inspired the character of Tyler Owens, played by Glen Powell in the 2024 summer blockbuster Twisters.
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In a way, the fact that Huston was made up of two halves — one part iconoclastic maverick, one part old school craftsman — gave him an edge his fellow septuagenarians lacked.
Noun
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The issue of granting birthright citizenship to the children of undocumented immigrants also concerned the dissenters.
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The three full dissenters from the court's ruling all believed the decision was historic, and historically wrong.
Adjective
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Your unconventional ideas land better when people can experience them instead of only hearing about them.
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While seemingly an unconventional choice, Sandler, Swift and Kelce have been in each other's orbit for several years.
Noun
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With its loose ends and digressions, Dream Me a Dream stays true to those idiosyncratic instincts while retaining enough of the welcoming glow of Dance of Love to make this an affecting farewell from an endearing eccentric.
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The eccentric cuz is quick to try and help Bobby solve problems, which often gets him into trouble, but ultimately pushes him out of his shell.
Noun
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There are Sixties rock bands like the Sonics and the Small Faces, and pioneering hippie renegades like Love or the Thirteenth Floor Elevators.
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The president can call out the army against seceding states and their renegade congresspeople.
Adjective
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Board member Renee Paschall cast the lone dissenting vote on the final package.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Nonconformist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonconformist. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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