avant-garde
1 of 2noun
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
avant-gardism
ˌä-ˌvän(t)-ˈgär-ˌdi-zəm
noun ˌa-
avant-gardist
ˌä-ˌvän(t)-ˈgär-dist
noun ˌa-
avant-garde
2 of 2adjective
: of or relating to an avant-garde
avant-garde writers
an avant-garde filmmaker
Synonyms
Noun
- cutting edge
- van
- vanguard
Adjective
- advanced
- avant
- cutting-edge
- progressive
- state-of-the-art
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Adjective
French, vanguard
First Known Use
Noun
1849, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
1925, in the meaning defined above
avant-garde 1 of 2
adjective
as in avant
being or employing the latest concepts, styles, or techniques a very avant-garde artist whose works wouldn't even be considered art by many traditionalists Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- avant
- progressive
- unconventional
- advanced
- pioneering
- contemporary
- modern
- revolutionary
- underground
- cutting-edge
- modernistic
- new
- original
- outré
- alternative
- bizarre
- strange
- nontraditional
- trailblazing
- antiestablishment
- state-of-the-art
- current
- novel
- ultramodern
- unfamiliar
- way-out
- fresh
- newfangled
- unprecedented
- far-out
- unknown
- hot
- unaccustomed
- unheard-of
- space-age
- new-fashioned
- mod
- present-day
- up-to-date
- red-hot
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- traditional
- conventional
- customary
- orthodox
- established
avant-garde
2 of 2noun
as in vanguard
the innovators of new concepts, styles, and techniques especially in the arts to the theater world's avant-garde, the melodrama seemed like a very old-fashioned play whose time had come and gone Synonyms & Similar Words
- vanguard
- underground
- pioneer
- avant-gardist
- van
- cutting edge
- forerunner
- precursor
- trailblazer
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- establishment
- old guard