nonconformist

noun

non·​con·​form·​ist ˌnän-kən-ˈfȯr-mist How to pronounce nonconformist (audio)
1
often capitalized : a person who does not conform to an established church
especially : one who does not conform to the Church of England
2
: a person who does not conform to a generally accepted pattern of thought or action
nonconformist adjective often capitalized

Examples of nonconformist in a Sentence

He was a nonconformist in college but now wears a three-piece suit to work every day. They were stubborn nonconformists who chose to be arrested instead of obeying the laws.
Recent Examples on the Web The uniform and the nonconformist. Rachel Tashjian, Harper's BAZAAR, 9 Aug. 2022 Hamilton’s latest struggles as a nonconformist are not as amusing. Steve Nadis, Discover Magazine, 19 Dec. 2011 In her breakthrough piece, Heretic, Graham is dressed in white and rebuffed and rebuked by a group of 12 women dressed in black: the punishment of the nonconformist. Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2022 Ye, however, was widely known to be both a perfectionist and a nonconformist. New York Times, 25 July 2022 Fedoras, trilbys and Panamas seem to proclaim the wearer as either an extravagant nonconformist or an anti-feminist reactionary. New York Times, 15 July 2022 The Return of Tanya Tucker is a fittingly unconventional portrait of a nonconformist. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2022 Former Portland Mayor Bud Clark, a nonconformist to the end, received a natural burial Feb. 12 at River View Cemetery in Southwest Portland. oregonlive, 22 Feb. 2022 Portland’s transformation from gritty industrial burgh into haven for the quirky and nonconformist was all but complete. oregonlive, 7 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nonconformist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonconformist was in 1618

Dictionary Entries Near nonconformist

Cite this Entry

“Nonconformist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonconformist. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

nonconformist

noun
non·​con·​form·​ist ˌnän-kən-ˈfȯr-məst How to pronounce nonconformist (audio)
1
often capitalized : a person who does not conform to an established church
2
: a person who does not conform to generally accepted standards or customs
nonconformist adjective often capitalized

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