avant-garde

[uh-vahnt-gahrd, uh-vant-, av-ahnt-, ah-vahnt-, a-vahn-gard] / əˌvɑntˈgɑrd, əˌvænt-, ˌæv ɑnt-, ˌɑ vɑnt-, a vɑ̃ˈgard /

ADJECTIVE

cutting-edge

Synonyms

STRONGEST

advanced ahead of its time cutting-edge experimental groundbreaking innovative innovatory inventive leading-edge modern new new-wave original pioneering progressive revolutionary state-of-the-art trailblazing ultramodern unorthodox

STRONG

daring forward-looking forward-thinking hip last-word nonconformist off the beaten path radical

WEAK

Bohemian offbeat unconventional unfamiliar unorthodox untraditional way-out

Antonyms

STRONGEST

behind the times old-fashioned orthodox outdated traditional

STRONG

conservative moderate

WEAK

conventional

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For almost as long, she’s also made experimental folk and electronic records that toy with avant-garde noise and quietly poignant songwriting.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

“I was always attracted to both the avant-garde stuff and the square stuff,” he explained.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026

It’s been a busy year for the avant-garde pair, who won their first Grammy in February for their nine-track EP, “Papota.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

At Mrs. Riley’s boardinghouse, Ryui is taken under the wing of Torajiro “Jack” Baba, a cynical photographer with an avant-garde aesthetic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Albert Ayler was an amazing, avant-garde saxophonist known only to the most die-hard jazz enthusiasts.

From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride

Vocabulary lists containing avant-garde

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