march to one's own drummer
Ignores social expectations
To march to one's own drummer is to act according to one's own beliefs or inclinations rather than following convention or popular opinion.
The phrase suggests independence of thought and willingness to be different: She's always marched to her own drummer—never cared what anyone thought.
Sometimes phrased as march to the beat of a different drummer.
- unconventionalityDeparture from accepted standards
- rebellionDefiance of established power
- against the grainContrary to natural tendency
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- innovationCreating something original
originality · think outside the box · self-possession · eccentricity · authenticity · iconoclasm · Thoreau · self-determination · contrarianism · artistry · individualism · defiance · independence · self-reliance · maverick · lone wolf · wild card · idiosyncrasy
march to one's own drummerconform
Behave as expected
follow the crowd · toe the line · fall in line · go with the flow · keep up with the Joneses
march to one's own drummerfollow orders
march to one's own drummerfollow in someone's footsteps
Pursue another's career path
marched, marching, marches, marcher, marchers, owners, ownership, drummed, drumming