nonconformism
Rejecting established norms
Nonconformism is the practice or principle of refusing to conform to established customs, beliefs, or standards.
The term often refers specifically to Protestant dissent from the Church of England, but applies broadly to any rejection of prevailing norms: Her nonconformism made her an outsider in the conservative town.
The word emphasizes the stance itself rather than any particular alternative embraced.
Belief opposing official doctrine
- unorthodoxyDeparture from accepted belief
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- freethoughtReason-based belief formation
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
apostasy · blasphemy · secularism · agnosticism · atheism · rationalism · humanism · schism
Conveying one's inner world
- uniquenessQuality of being singular
- authenticityQuality of being genuine
- originalityNovel creative quality
- distinctivenessQuality of being distinguishable
eccentricity · idiosyncrasy · quirkiness · unconventionality · free spirit · maverick · freethinker · iconoclast
Artistic nonconformist type
- beatnikFifties counterculture member
- hippieSixties counterculture member
- punkRaw, fast rock genre
- modSoftware tweak or admin
grunge · Woodstock · commune · psychedelic · underground · subculture · avant-garde · free love
Public expression of disapproval
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- oppositionActive resistance or dissent
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- objectionExpression of disapproval
dissidence · critique · disagreement · challenge · refusal · civil disobedience · conscientious objector · whistleblower
Independent decision-making capacity
- self-relianceDepending on oneself alone
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- free willAutonomous choice capacity
- agencyPower to act
self-sufficiency · sovereignty · individualism · liberty · freedom · self-governance · empowerment · self-direction
Capacity for original thought
- originalityNovel creative quality
- noveltyQuality of being original
- pioneeringFirst to explore territory
- inventionNew device or method
ingenuity · experimentation · disruption · breakthrough · trailblazing · visionary · avant-garde · cutting-edge
Organized resistance to power
- uprisingOrganized resistance to power
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
- mutinyRevolt against authority
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
insurgency · sedition · subversion · riot · guerrilla · coup · anarchism · radicalism
heresy
Belief opposing official doctrine
- unorthodoxyDeparture from accepted belief
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- freethoughtReason-based belief formation
skepticism · apostasy · blasphemy · secularism · agnosticism · atheism · rationalism · humanism · schism · reformation
self-expression
Conveying one's inner world
- uniquenessQuality of being singular
- authenticityQuality of being genuine
- originalityNovel creative quality
distinctiveness · eccentricity · idiosyncrasy · quirkiness · unconventionality · free spirit · maverick · freethinker · iconoclast · oddball
bohemian
Artistic nonconformist type
mod · grunge · Woodstock · commune · psychedelic · underground · subculture · avant-garde · free love · alternative
protest
Public expression of disapproval
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- oppositionActive resistance or dissent
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
objection · dissidence · critique · disagreement · challenge · refusal · civil disobedience · conscientious objector · whistleblower · activism
autonomy
Independent decision-making capacity
- self-relianceDepending on oneself alone
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- free willAutonomous choice capacity
agency · self-sufficiency · sovereignty · individualism · liberty · freedom · self-governance · empowerment · self-direction · choice
creativity
Capacity for original thought
- originalityNovel creative quality
- noveltyQuality of being original
- pioneeringFirst to explore territory
invention · ingenuity · experimentation · disruption · breakthrough · trailblazing · visionary · avant-garde · cutting-edge · groundbreaking
revolt
Organized resistance to power
- uprisingOrganized resistance to power
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
- mutinyRevolt against authority
revolution · insurgency · sedition · subversion · riot · guerrilla · coup · anarchism · radicalism · militant
- WalesCardiff, Anglesey, Welsh, Snowdon, Welsh dragon
- nonconformitydeviance, deviation, defiance, iconoclasm, rule-breaking
- Welsh historyironworks, steelworks, Cardiff, Swansea, Newport
- Welsh Christianity
- heresyheretic, heretical, heretics, apostasy, apostate
- ideologiescapitalism, communism, conservatism, liberalism, socialism
nonconformismconformism
Adherence to accepted standards
conformity · conventionality · traditionalism · orthodoxy · social conformity
nonconformismobedience
Compliance with authority
compliance · submissiveness · deference · acquiescence · docility
nonconformismimitation
Copy of the original
conventionality · unoriginality · derivativeness · orthodoxy · uniformity
- gender nonconformityDiverging from expected roles
- gender nonconformingNot matching expected expression
- nonconforming useActivity predating current regulations
nonconformist, nonconformity, nonconforming, nonconformists, nonconformities