nonconformity

noun

non·​con·​for·​mi·​ty ˌnän-kən-ˈfȯr-mə-tē How to pronounce nonconformity (audio)
1
a
: failure or refusal to conform to an established church
b
often capitalized : the movement or principles of English Protestant dissent
c
often capitalized : the body of English Nonconformists
2
: refusal to conform to an established or conventional creed, rule, or practice
3
: absence of agreement or correspondence

Examples of nonconformity in a Sentence

As a teenager, he was embarrassed by his parents' nonconformity. an artistic movement that doesn't tolerate nonconformity
Recent Examples on the Web The recent spate of regulations passed by school boards in conservative pockets of California requiring schools to notify parents if a student does something to indicate gender nonconformity is seeping into campus culture in ways some students describe as dangerous and repressive. Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023 Thus the Revenge is a haven for queerness and gender nonconformity. TIME, 5 Oct. 2023 Her origin family, including her mother, father, and siblings, mostly accepted her gender nonconformity from a young age. Raquel Willis, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2023 Flannery’s infirmity, unconventional looks and take-no-prisoners nonconformity find expression in these women’s daughters. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Sep. 2023 Popularized in the 1950s by actors Audrey Hepburn and Jean Seberg as part of a visual rejection the long locks of their bombshell counterparts—and a want of European sophistication—pixie cuts have remained a symbol of nonconformity. Tish Weinstock, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2023 The district’s new policy, Stoller said, has left students in more tenuous situations in grave fear of being outed for gender nonconformity. Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023 Gender nonconformity, even in this punishing society, has its advantages. Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 Sep. 2023 Both silly and subversive and championing nonconformity, the Pee-wee universe was a trippy place, populated by things such as a talking armchair and a friendly pterodactyl. Andrew Dalton, Anchorage Daily News, 31 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nonconformity.' 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

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonconformity was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near nonconformity

Cite this Entry

“Nonconformity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonconformity. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

nonconformity

noun
non·​con·​for·​mi·​ty ˌnän-kən-ˈfȯr-mət-ē How to pronounce nonconformity (audio)
: failure or refusal to conform

Legal Definition

nonconformity

noun
non·​con·​for·​mi·​ty ˌnän-kən-ˈfȯr-mə-tē How to pronounce nonconformity (audio)
plural nonconformities
1
: failure to conform to or comply with something (as contract requirements)
a lessee may revoke acceptance of a lot…whose nonconformity substantially impairs its valueUniform Commercial Code
2
: a particular aspect in which something is nonconforming
cannot revoke an acceptance he made with knowledge of a nonconformityJ. J. White and R. S. Summers

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