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Synonyms

unorthodox

American  
[uhn-awr-thuh-doks] / ʌnˈɔr θəˌdɒks /

adjective

  1. not conforming to rules, traditions, or modes of conduct, as of a doctrine, religion, or philosophy; not orthodox.

    an unorthodox ideology.
unorthodox British  
/ ʌnˈɔːθəˌdɒks /

adjective

  1. not conventional in belief, behaviour, custom, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unorthodoxly adverb

Etymology

Origin of unorthodox

un- 1 + orthodox

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.

But if Pontormo’s chosen scene is unclear, his unorthodox artistic decisions are not.

From The Wall Street Journal

The filmmaker’s Fox Nation series on the lives of saints depicts Jesus’ mother in an intriguingly unorthodox style.

From The Wall Street Journal

The filmmaker’s Fox Nation series on the lives of saints depicts Jesus’ mother in an intriguingly unorthodox style.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was an early experiment in unorthodox monetary policy that lasted until 1951.

From The Wall Street Journal

Movie buffs can bet on the official categories plus some unorthodox ones, such as whether host Conan O’Brien will say “artificial intelligence.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions 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.