conventional

conventional — adjective

1. following the ordinary or widely accepted way of thinking or behaving that most

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

following the ordinary or widely accepted way of thinking or behaving that most people in a society use, which can sometimes suggest a lack of new or creative ideas

Example

Sarah wore a conventional black suit to the job interview instead of a bright one.

contrast with unusual alternatives

The village school teaches conventional subjects like math, science, and history.

listing typical members of a category

Common collocations
  • conventional wisdom
  • conventional medicine
  • conventional methods
  • conventional approach
  • conventional thinking
  • conventional way
Synonyms
  • traditional

    wider in scope; can refer to customs passed down across generations, while 'conventional' focuses on currently accepted norms

  • orthodox

    stricter and often tied to religious or political doctrine, whereas 'conventional' is more about general social norms

  • standard

    neutral in tone, suggesting normal quality without the possible critical hint of 'conventional'

  • mainstream

    emphasizes what most people accept or follow, especially in culture or ideas

Antonyms
  • unconventional

    not following the usual way; often seen as creative or surprising

  • innovative

    introducing new ideas or methods, the opposite of sticking to what is normal

  • avant-garde

    pushing boundaries in art, fashion, or ideas far beyond what is conventional

Grammar Patterns

conventional + noun

be + conventional

more conventional than

Usage Note

The tone of this sense shifts with context: neutral when describing widely accepted practices ('conventional medicine'), but mildly critical when suggesting something is ordinary or lacks imagination ('a rather conventional design').

Common Mistakes

It is conventional to bow when greeting elders.
It is customary to bow when greeting elders.
'customary' is better for social etiquette rules; 'conventional' describes the usual style or approach, not a rule of politeness.
She wore a conventional dress made of silk.
She wore a traditional dress made of silk.
'traditional' suggests heritage and long history, while 'conventional' focuses on what is currently normal or unremarkable.

2. relating to weapons and military operations that use only traditional explosives

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to weapons and military operations that use only traditional explosives, with no atomic energy involved

Example

The two countries agreed to reduce their supplies of conventional weapons under the new treaty.

conventional weapons + disarmament agreement

Ravi wrote a paper on how conventional warfare changed after the tank was invented.

contrast with nuclear warfare

Common collocations
  • conventional weapons
  • conventional forces
  • conventional warfare
  • conventional arms
Synonyms
  • non-nuclear

    more precise term for weapons that do not use nuclear energy

  • non-atomic

    less common, but used interchangeably in historical contexts

Antonyms
  • nuclear

    using nuclear reactions for explosive power

  • atomic

    historically used for nuclear weapons before 'nuclear' became standard

Grammar Patterns

conventional + weapon/force/warfare

conventional arms

Usage Note

Almost always appears in military or defense contexts. Unlike sense 1, this sense is purely technical and carries no critical or judgmental tone.

Idioms

conventional/received/popular wisdom

idiom

The ideas or opinions that are accepted by most people in a society.

Conventional wisdom says that breakfast is the most important meal.

Maya questioned the conventional wisdom that multitasking saves time.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These four words all describe ideas or practices that many people accept, but each has a different emphasis. 'Conventional' focuses on what is currently normal in a society — the usual way of doing things, which can sometimes feel uncreative. 'Traditional' points to customs passed down over generations, with a stronger historical and cultural weight. 'Orthodox' is stricter and often tied to formal systems such as religion or political ideology, leaving less room for variation. 'Standard' is the most neutral — it simply means meeting a normal level of quality or expectation, without any judgment. For example: 'Her wedding was conventional — white dress, church ceremony, sit-down dinner.' 'Her wedding was traditional — she wore her grandmother's veil and followed every custom her family had observed for three generations.' 'The school follows the orthodox interpretation of the faith.' 'The hotel offers standard rooms with basic facilities.'

traditional ↗orthodox ↗standard ↗mainstream ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • conventional wisdom holds that
  • by conventional standards
  • in the conventional sense
  • more conventional than
  • less conventional than

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'conventional' comes from the Latin 'conventionem', meaning 'a meeting, assembly, or agreement'. This passed into French as 'conventionnel' ('relating to an agreement or assembly'), and then into English in the 15th century with the meaning 'of or belonging to a formal agreement or contract'. Over time the meaning broadened: by the 19th century it described whatever was accepted by general custom or social agreement, and later developed the critical shade of 'ordinary and unoriginal'. The military sense (non-nuclear) emerged in the mid-20th century during the Cold War, when nations needed a way to distinguish traditional explosives from the newly developed atomic bomb.