unconventional

unconventional — adjective

1. doing things in a way that is noticeably different from what most people expect

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

doing things in a way that is noticeably different from what most people expect or consider normal, often because you have your own ideas or style

Example

Cyrus took an unconventional approach to teaching, using street art instead of textbooks.

collocation: unconventional approach

The museum's unconventional design features a curved glass roof that seems to float.

collocation: unconventional design

Common collocations
  • unconventional approach
  • unconventional method
  • unconventional style
  • unconventional design
  • unconventional idea
  • unconventional way
  • unconventional career
  • unconventional beauty
  • unconventional fashion
  • unconventional lifestyle
Synonyms
  • unorthodox

    stronger than unconventional — implies going against established rules, traditions, or accepted methods, not just usual practice

  • alternative

    softer and more neutral; suggests a different option exists alongside the mainstream one, without emphasis on being unusual

  • nonconformist

    focuses on a deliberate refusal to follow social norms, often as a matter of principle or identity

  • eccentric

    describes behavior or appearance that is strange or odd in a noticeable way; can be mildly negative or affectionate

Antonyms
  • conventional

    following accepted standards or traditional ways of doing things

  • traditional

    based on long-established customs or beliefs

  • orthodox

    strictly following accepted or official beliefs and methods

Usage Note

Has a neutral to positive tone. Unlike 'abnormal' or 'strange,' unconventional often implies creativity, originality, or independent thinking rather than something wrong or undesirable.

Common Mistakes

His clothing was unconventional and ugly.
His clothing was unconventional and drew a lot of attention.
unconventional is not inherently negative; avoid pairing it with strongly negative adjectives unless the context is clearly critical.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe something that differs from the usual or expected, but they differ in intensity and connotation. Unconventional is the most neutral and broadly used — it simply means not following typical ways. Unorthodox is stronger, implying a departure from established rules or accepted doctrines (unorthodox teaching methods). Alternative is the mildest term, suggesting a choice between options without any sense of strangeness (alternative medicine). Eccentric focuses on oddness or quirkiness that attracts attention — an eccentric person might wear mismatched shoes on purpose. Nonconformist carries a social or ideological angle, describing someone who actively rejects group norms (a nonconformist artist who refuses to follow trends). Choose unconventional for neutral descriptions of difference; pick one of the others when you want to highlight rule-breaking, strangeness, choice, or rebellion.

unconventional ↗unorthodoxalternative ↗eccentric ↗nonconformist

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • rather unconventional
  • highly unconventional
  • somewhat unconventional
  • truly unconventional
  • decidedly unconventional

Phrases

  • unconventional way of doing something
  • unconventional approach to something
  • unconventional by nature

Prepositions

  • unconventional in
  • unconventional for

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English by adding the prefix un- (meaning 'not') to conventional, which comes from the Latin word conventionem ('agreement, assembly'). The root of conventionem is convenire ('to come together'), from com- ('together') and venire ('to come'). So unconventional literally means 'not following what people have agreed upon as the usual way.'