HETERODOX Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

heterodox

adjective

ˈhe-tə-rə-ˌdäks

Definition of heterodox

as in dissident

deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices a Christian clergyman with a very heterodox opinion on the divinity of Jesus

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unconventional

not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules her heterodox approach to teaching science initially met with some resistance from her peers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of heterodox In Syria, an equivalent system existed under the Assad dynasty, in which rural Alawites (a heterodox sect that emerged from Shiism) dominated the security agencies that policed a Sunni majority. — Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026 Mollino—a heterodox figure who, from the margins, influenced the trajectory of twentieth-century design—likely never spent a single night there; its existence was only discovered after his death. — Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026 At Sovereign House, Allen and Easton curated a list of heterodox, and sometimes controversial, speakers. — Emma Green, New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2025 The Free Press has won fans, and created plenty of fodder for critics, with heterodox columns and features. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heterodox

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heterodox

Adjective

Rita Flores, a former member of the protest art collective Pussy Riot, alleged in an interview on Monday that members of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) had recruited her to spy on dissident artists.

— News Desk, Artforum, 26 Aug. 2026
Projects must be led by LGBTQ+ directors and screenwriters, or by professionals whose dissident gender identities and expressions inform their creative perspectives.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of dissident

Adjective

Munetaka Murakami made the quick decision to step on the bag and then throw to the plate, where catcher Drew Romo tagged out Trevor Larnach for an unconventional inning-ending double play.

— LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
All the drama from last week’s showdown with the season-21 designers is resolved by season 22 winning the unconventional-materials challenge.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of unconventional

Adjective

That led to cycles of reform and renovation, as well as backlash, chiefly from cultural conservatives, who saw the adoption of western European habits and attitudes as abominable and even heretical.

— Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
In the 14th century, Bibles in English became associated with John Wycliffe, a priest who criticized corruption in the Catholic Church, and whose views on Holy Communion the church had declared heretical.

— Michael Bruening, The Conversation, 30 June 2026

Definition of heretical

Adjective

On paper, the January agreement between Damascus and the SDF provides a framework for resolving informal wartime boundaries and closed routes and for harmonizing competing duties and parallel systems of governance.

— Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
The minimum monthly salary for a state worker in Cuba is 3,210 pesos, currently less than $5 in the informal dollar exchange market.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of informal

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hesitation

heterodox

heterodoxies

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“Heterodox.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heterodox. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of heterodox

adjective

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