iconoclastic
Americanadjective
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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.
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breaking or destroying images, especially those set up for religious veneration.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of iconoclastic
First recorded in 1640–45; iconoclast + -ic
Explanation
The word iconoclastic is an adjective referring to a breaking of established rules or destruction of accepted beliefs. It might refer to an artist with an unorthodox style, or an iconoclastic attack, either physical or verbal, on a religious doctrine or image. Consider the Greek word eikōn, or "image," coupled with -klastēs, "one who breaks," and you get a good image of someone who is iconoclastic. An iconoclastic approach to religion involves tearing down the icons representing the church. While this was once done physically, through riots and mayhem, today’s iconoclasts usually prefer using words. Not all iconoclasts are destructive, however. An iconoclastic approach to art and music has given rise to the development of new genres and styles through breaking the rules.
Vocabulary lists containing iconoclastic
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Episode 1, you’ll hear how Gorsuch’s worldview was shaped by his iconoclastic mother, his reaction to life on a liberal college campus, and by young conservative movements of the 1980s.
From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026
Merle Haggard’s iconoclastic “Okie From Muskogee” is considered a country classic, even though the sentiment is about as far from mainstream American thought in 2026 as can be imagined.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
Yet, despite this occasional datedness, “Love and Death in the American Novel” remains wonderfully alive, being iconoclastic, polemical, exhilarating and, not least, fun to read.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
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 ● Oct. 19, 2025
“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 "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
