Membean is an incredibly effective way to learn words and permanently remember them.
Learn more on how we help for
Test Prep,
Personal Learning,
or get it for your
School.
When something is aberrant, it is unusual, not socially acceptable, or a departure from the norm.
A bohemian is someone who lives outside mainstream society, often embracing an unconventional lifestyle of self-expression, creativity, and rebellion against conventional rules and ways of society.
Bourgeois members of society are from the upper middle class and are typically conservative, traditional, and materialistic.
A chimerical idea is unrealistic, imaginary, or unlikely to be fulfilled.
A conventional way of thinking or behaving is the one most commonly accepted by social groups.
Decorous appearance or behavior is respectable, polite, and appropriate for a given occasion.
When someone’s behavior is deviating, they do things differently by departing or straying from their usual way of acting.
Dissension is a disagreement or difference of opinion among a group of people that can cause conflict.
A dissident is someone who disagrees publicly with a government, especially in a country where this is not allowed.
Divergent opinions differ from each other; divergent paths move apart from one another.
Religious doctrine is considered dogmatic when it must be accepted with no questions asked.
If someone is eccentric, they behave in a strange and unusual way that is different from most people.
Errant things or people behave in a way that is unacceptable or wrong, such as a missile that travels in the wrong direction or a student who does not follow classroom rules.
A heretic is someone who doubts or acts in opposition to commonly or generally accepted beliefs.
Heterodox beliefs, ideas, or practices are different from accepted or official ones.
The word homogeneous is used to describe a group that has members or parts which are similar or are all of the same type.
Something humdrum is dull, boring, or tiresome.
An iconoclast is someone who often attacks beliefs, ideas, or customs that are generally accepted by society.
Something that is mundane is very ordinary and not interesting or exciting, especially because it happens very often.
A nonconformist is unwilling to believe in the same things other people do or act in a fashion that society sets as a standard.
A social norm is the standard, model, or rule by which people conduct themselves.
To be politic in a decision is to be socially wise and diplomatic.
Propriety is behaving in a socially acceptable and appropriate way.
Something prosaic is dull, boring, and ordinary.
Something that is proverbial is very well-known, famous, or known for its wisdom.
Something that is quotidian is done on a daily basis.
A radical solution to a problem goes to the heart or root of it; a radical solution is most often an extreme solution to the problem.
If you are staid, you are set in your ways; consequently, you are settled, serious, law-abiding, conservative, and traditional—and perhaps even a tad dull.
A stereotype is a customary way of thinking about a particular group of people that is narrow-minded and often faulty.
An unorthodox opinion is unusual, not customary, and goes against established ways of thinking.
If you act in a wayward fashion, you are very headstrong, independent, disobedient, unpredictable, and practically unmanageable.
Adj.
maverick
MAV-er-ik
Context
John is a maverick scientist who does things his own way because he doesn’t like to follow the crowd. The scientific community rejected him at first, having felt that such a maverick or independent individual had no place in a field that so heavily depends on sharing information and following specific scientific guidelines. John, however, subsequently made some important discoveries while experimenting in his rather maverick or unusual ways. Other scientists are now willing to listen to this maverick individual despite the fact that they do not agree with his radical approach to scientific research.
Quiz:Try again!
How might one describe a maverick?
They are independent and want to do things their own way.
They like to spend a lot of money to show others how much they have.
They like to argue and consequently have few close friends.
MauveRickRick's a maverick--you can tell just by looking at his mauve facial make-up!
Examples
The film’s maverick producer, Scott Rudin, paraphrasing a line from Sorkin’s _A Few Good Men_, argues that "there is no such thing as the truth."
—
Rolling Stone
Jaime Lerner, the former maverick mayor of Curitiba in South Brazil, has energy, passion and steely determination that started nothing short of an urban revolution. The city in Brazil and indeed its ex-Mayor, have been an inspiration to environmental urban planners worldwide.
—
CNN
Observers far from Salt Lake City may have been taken aback by Anderson’s boldness—or rudeness, depending on their view—but no one in the city was particularly surprised by this maverick politician’s latest move.
—
TIME
McCain’s supporters say his reputation as a maverick is alive and well, sustained by his confrontations with Bush over torture policy, judges and campaign finance issues.
—
The Washington Post
Word Ingredients
The word maverick comes from the name of a Texas lawyer. Samuel Augustus “Maverick” once owned a very large cattle ranch, sold it, and declared that any of the cattle that weren’t branded would stay with the ranch; none of them, unfortunately, had been branded, and so he lost all of them … and so none were “Maverick’s.” Hence, a maverick is one who is not part of a herd, or holds himself apart from people in general.
Word Theater
Supernatural A maverick, if he really is one, certainly would not play by the rules.
The panel shows a small video clip of either the word in actual use or a scene that represents the meaning of a word. This not only breaks up the monotony of studying words but also provides another avenue to strengthen word meaning. Enjoy!
Word Constellation
Click for an interactive map of this word
Related Words
aberrant ·
bohemian+ ·
chimerical* ·
deviate+ ·
dissension ·
dissident ·
divergent+ ·
eccentric+ ·
errant* ·
heretic+ ·
heterodox+ ·
iconoclast+ ·
nonconformist+ ·
radical ·
unorthodox+ ·
wayward+ ·
bourgeois+ ·
conventional+ ·
decorous ·
dogmatic ·
homogeneous ·
humdrum ·
mundane ·
norm+ ·
politic ·
propriety ·
prosaic ·
proverbial+ ·
quotidian* ·
staid+ ·
stereotype ·
Similar sense
Opposite sense
Word Variants
maverick
n
→
an independent person
The section lists important variants and alternate definitions of the headword. Knowing variants will often help you both remember and understand the word. Not all variants are listed - only the ones we think that are important for you to know.
