Meaning & use
nonconformist
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Meanings
nouncountable
A person whose ideas or way of living differ from what most people accept.
Grammar: Countable: a nonconformist, many nonconformists. It can be praise or mild criticism depending on context.
Patterns
- a nonconformist in something
- a bit of a nonconformist
As a teenager, he was a nonconformist who refused to wear the school colors.
The artist was a proud nonconformist and ignored fashion.
In a town of tidy lawns, she was a nonconformist with a wild garden.
nouncountablereligion
Nonconformist (capital N): a member of a Protestant church in England that separated from the Church of England, especially in the 1600s.
Grammar: Usually capitalized in this sense and found in history writing.
Patterns
- a Nonconformist chapel
Many Nonconformists were barred from universities in the seventeenth century.
The village had a Nonconformist chapel as well as a parish church.
Her ancestors were Nonconformists who held meetings in private homes.
adjectivebefore a noun
Not following accepted rules, customs, or beliefs.
Grammar: Used before a noun: a nonconformist attitude.
Patterns
- a nonconformist attitude
Her nonconformist views on education caused debate.
He was known for his nonconformist style of dress.
Word forms
| plural | nonconformists |
|---|
Common combinations
- a bit of a nonconformist
- My aunt is a bit of a nonconformist.
- proud nonconformist
- He described himself as a proud nonconformist.
- nonconformist views
- Nonconformist views were not welcome at the company.
- nonconformist chapel
- The old nonconformist chapel is now a theater.
- artistic nonconformist
- She was an artistic nonconformist who painted in her own way.
Synonyms and how they differ
- maverick
- Maverick suggests an independent person who goes their own way in a group or career, often with success, which is less broad than nonconformist.
- rebel
- Rebel suggests active opposition to authority, whereas a nonconformist may simply live differently without fighting anyone.
- individualist
- Individualist is more positive and stresses valuing independence, and it lacks the sense of refusing norms.
- dissenter
- Dissenter refers to someone who openly disagrees, especially with an official church or government, so it is more formal and political.
Opposites
Word family
- nonconformity noun
- the fact of not following accepted ideas or customs
- conform verb
- to follow rules or common behavior
- conformist noun
- a person who follows accepted norms
- conformity noun
- behavior that matches accepted standards
Commonly confused: nonconformist or nonconforming?
nonconformist vs nonconforming
Nonconforming is an adjective, often describing things that fail to match a standard, such as a nonconforming building. Nonconformist describes people.
Practice
She was a ___ who refused to follow the usual career path.
Choose one answer.
A nonconformist rejects usual customs, which fits someone avoiding the usual career path. A conformist or traditionalist would do the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nonconformist”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.