ˌä-ˌvän(t)-ˈgärd 
ˌa-;
ə-ˈvänt-ˌgärd;
ˌa-ˌvōⁿ-ˈgärd,
ˌa-ˌvȯn(t)-ˈgärd
: an intelligentsia that develops new or experimental concepts especially in the arts
the avant-garde in the film industry
: of or relating to an avant-garde
avant-garde writers
an avant-garde filmmaker
Synonyms
Examples of avant-garde in a Sentence
Noun
to the theater world's avant-garde, the melodrama seemed like a very old-fashioned play whose time had come and gone
Adjective
a very avant-garde artist whose works wouldn't even be considered art by many traditionalists
Recent Examples on the Web
Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 17 May 2024
The Book-Makers: A History of the Book in Eighteen Lives
From Wynkyn de Worde’s printing of 15th-century bestsellers to Nancy Cunard’s avant-garde pamphlets produced on her small press in Normandy, this is a celebration of the book with the people put back in.
—Adam Smyth, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024
The Cellini line remained an exception within the Rolex catalog, seeing a great deal of avant-garde designs come and go over the years, especially for women’s models.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 11 May 2024
This budding shift is significantly altering how individuals and businesses approach and execute creative processes, leading to avant-garde advancements and new possibilities.
—Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 9 May 2024
Leading up to Dries Van Noten’s final farewell, the designer dropped a ready-to-wear summer 2024 men’s collection filled with seasonal patterns, lots of sparkle and his distinct avant-garde edge.
—Erin Lassner, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 May 2024
Hosted every year on the first Monday in May, the ball is a hotspot for celebrities to present their best avant-garde looks— bold hair and makeup included.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 7 May 2024
As for entertainment, the property recently opened Voltaire, an avant-garde cabaret featuring a rotating roster of headliners like Kylie Minogue and Jason Derulo, and their partner arena the Sphere has changed the city’s skyline.
—David Morris, Travel + Leisure, 7 May 2024
Some choose the literal route, others opt for avant-garde — and yet others, like Katy Perry in 2019, go haute hamburger.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 4 May 2024
Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2023
Instead of showing up in something avant-garde, Dakota drew attention with a black halter-style midi dress with a deep V-neckline.
—Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 18 Mar. 2023
One constant, however, is that her avant-garde ensembles are always about the art of juxtaposition.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2023
By Richard Quinn British fashion designer Richard Quinn is known for his avant-garde creations and bold use of color, so a collaboration with MAC made a whole lot of sense.
—Lisa Desantis, Allure, 14 Mar. 2023
Active in avant-garde music on the European music scene, Bertelmann frequently employs prepared piano and electronics.
—Jon Burlingame, Variety, 12 Mar. 2023
The nude, floor-length frock hinted at old Hollywood, perhaps a nod to mom Janet Leigh, but with the avant-garde touch of exterior boning in the corset.
—Christopher Muther, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Mar. 2023
Mary Bauermeister, a German artist who played a signature role in the development of the freewheeling performance art of the 1960s avant-garde, died on March 2 at a hospice in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany.
—Will Heinrich, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2023
In a city that likes to think of itself as edgy, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra has hardly been in the avant-garde.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 10 Mar. 2023
Noun
Mexican group Reik returned to their pop roots with Panorama, a 13-track album that honors their past while exploring more avant-garde compositions.
—Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 17 May 2024
The Book-Makers: A History of the Book in Eighteen Lives
From Wynkyn de Worde’s printing of 15th-century bestsellers to Nancy Cunard’s avant-garde pamphlets produced on her small press in Normandy, this is a celebration of the book with the people put back in.
—Adam Smyth, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024
The Cellini line remained an exception within the Rolex catalog, seeing a great deal of avant-garde designs come and go over the years, especially for women’s models.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 11 May 2024
This budding shift is significantly altering how individuals and businesses approach and execute creative processes, leading to avant-garde advancements and new possibilities.
—Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 9 May 2024
Leading up to Dries Van Noten’s final farewell, the designer dropped a ready-to-wear summer 2024 men’s collection filled with seasonal patterns, lots of sparkle and his distinct avant-garde edge.
—Erin Lassner, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 May 2024
Hosted every year on the first Monday in May, the ball is a hotspot for celebrities to present their best avant-garde looks— bold hair and makeup included.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 7 May 2024
As for entertainment, the property recently opened Voltaire, an avant-garde cabaret featuring a rotating roster of headliners like Kylie Minogue and Jason Derulo, and their partner arena the Sphere has changed the city’s skyline.
—David Morris, Travel + Leisure, 7 May 2024
Some choose the literal route, others opt for avant-garde — and yet others, like Katy Perry in 2019, go haute hamburger.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 4 May 2024
Adjective
Since the house’s inception, in 1988, Margiela had been known for an avant-garde mentality, paired with classical technique.
—Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2023
Instead of showing up in something avant-garde, Dakota drew attention with a black halter-style midi dress with a deep V-neckline.
—Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 18 Mar. 2023
One constant, however, is that her avant-garde ensembles are always about the art of juxtaposition.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2023
By Richard Quinn British fashion designer Richard Quinn is known for his avant-garde creations and bold use of color, so a collaboration with MAC made a whole lot of sense.
—Lisa Desantis, Allure, 14 Mar. 2023
Active in avant-garde music on the European music scene, Bertelmann frequently employs prepared piano and electronics.
—Jon Burlingame, Variety, 12 Mar. 2023
The nude, floor-length frock hinted at old Hollywood, perhaps a nod to mom Janet Leigh, but with the avant-garde touch of exterior boning in the corset.
—Christopher Muther, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Mar. 2023
Mary Bauermeister, a German artist who played a signature role in the development of the freewheeling performance art of the 1960s avant-garde, died on March 2 at a hospice in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany.
—Will Heinrich, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2023
In a city that likes to think of itself as edgy, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra has hardly been in the avant-garde.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 10 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'avant-garde.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near avant-garde
Cite this Entry
“Avant-garde.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avant-garde. Accessed 20 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share