iconoclastic

American  

[ahy-kon-uh-klas-tik] / aɪˌkɒn əˈklæs tɪk /

adjective

1. attacking or ignoring cherished beliefs and long-held traditions, etc., as being based on error, superstition, or lack of creativity.

   an iconoclastic architect whose buildings are like monumental sculptures.

2. breaking or destroying images, especially those set up for religious veneration.

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Other Word Forms

• iconoclastically adverb
• noniconoclastic adjective
• noniconoclastically adverb
• uniconoclastic adjective
• uniconoclastically adverb

Etymology

Origin of iconoclastic

First recorded in 1640–45; iconoclast + -ic

Example Sentences

In the spirit of its guiding light, the iconoclastic singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, the bar has played host to other country nonconformists.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I almost think the better the idea, and the more iconoclastic the investor, the more likely you will get screamed at by investors,” he said.

From Literature

Over the weekend, Institutional Shareholder Services, a firm that advises investors how to vote their shares, recommended against approving the 2025 pay award that Tesla’s board has proposed for its iconoclastic CEO.

From Barron's

And yet, true to his core as an iconoclastic dreamer willing to risk everything for the sake of discovering the unknown, he still says, “It was worth it.”

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s always been full of individuals who are a little iconoclastic and don’t do things the normal way.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• irreverent