nonconformist

American  

[non-kuhn-fawr-mist] / ˌnɒn kənˈfɔr mɪst /

noun

1. a person who refuses to conform, as to established customs, attitudes, or ideas.

   Synonyms:

   loner, individualist, dissident, dissenter

2. (often initial capital letter) a Protestant in England who is not a member of the Church of England; dissenter.

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Nonconformist ¹ British  

/ ˌnɒnkənˈfɔːmɪst /

noun

1. a member of a Protestant denomination that dissents from an Established Church, esp the Church of England

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or denoting Nonconformists

nonconformist ² British  

/ ˌnɒnkənˈfɔːmɪst /

noun

1. a person who does not conform to generally accepted patterns of behaviour or thought

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adjective

1. of or characterized by behaviour that does not conform to generally accepted patterns

Other Word Forms

• Nonconformity noun
• nonconformism noun

Etymology

Origin of nonconformist

First recorded in 1610–20; non- + conformist

Example Sentences

On that lesson alone, every company should have taken a nonconformist to lunch.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 18, 2026

But Tyler, ever the nonconformist, released his eighth studio album at 06:00 EST on Monday, three days after the week's chart tracking began.

From BBC • Nov. 1, 2024

A strong socialist bent in politics, nonconformist in religion, working class.

From Salon • May 27, 2024

In Salar Abdoh’s Tehran, a city more populous than New York City, the vagaries of the human heart create a surprisingly unbridled and nonconformist tableau against a backdrop most Westerners view as monolithic, repressive, theocratic.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 16, 2023

Major Major’s elders disliked him because he was such a flagrant nonconformist Since he had nothing better to do well in, he did well in school.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Related Words

• dissenter
• dissident
• free spirit
• individualist
• maverick