Iconoclast
/ˈaɪkəˌnɒklæst/
nounC2
Definition
An iconoclast is someone who does not accept traditional ideas or customs and tries to change or destroy them. They often question what most people believe or follow, sometimes causing strong reactions because they challenge common views.
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See It in Action
A person who attacks or rejects traditional beliefs or institutions
- •The artist was called an iconoclast because she created paintings that challenged old art styles.
- •Many iconoclasts in history have changed the way people think about religion or politics.
- •He became an iconoclast by refusing to follow the usual rules at work.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "iconoclast" like "rebel," but more about ideas and beliefs, not just behavior
- ✓Picture someone breaking a big old statue (an icon) because they want new ideas to grow
- ✓It's the feeling when you want to do things differently from everyone else, even if it is hard or unpopular
- ✓Sounds like "eye-con-o-clast" → imagine a person with a big eye looking carefully to break old icons (statues or symbols)
- ✓Remember famous inventors or thinkers who changed the world by rejecting old rules, like Galileo challenging the Earth’s place in the universe
- ✓NOT like "follower" who accepts and keeps old ideas, iconoclast breaks or questions them
- ✓NOT like "destroyer" who breaks physically without reason, iconoclast challenges ideas with purpose
- ✓NOT like "critic" who only points out problems, iconoclast actively tries to change or remove old beliefs
Try Other Words
- •Nonconformist: a person who does not follow established customs or rules (Use when emphasizing personal style or behavior differences)
- •Maverick: a person who thinks or acts independently and differently (Use when focusing on independence and uniqueness)
- •Radical: a person who wants big or extreme changes (Use when change is very strong or extreme)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "icono-" (from Greek "eikon," meaning image or symbol) + "-clast" (from Greek "klastes," meaning breaker)
- •Etymology: From Greek, meaning "breaker of images" or statues, originally about destroying religious images
- •Historical development: First used in English in the 1600s to describe people who destroyed religious pictures during certain historical periods
- •Modern usage: Now used to describe anyone who challenges traditional ideas, not just physical images
Reflect & Connect
•Can being an iconoclast be good or bad? When might challenging old ideas help or hurt society?
•Have you ever acted like an iconoclast by questioning or changing a common belief or rule? What happened?
Fill in the blanks
1.An iconoclast often ___ traditional ideas because they believe those ideas need to change.
2.When someone is called an iconoclast, it usually means they feel comfortable ___ popular opinions.
3.Unlike a follower, an iconoclast tries to ___ old customs or beliefs.
4.The iconoclast’s actions can sometimes ___ strong reactions from people who want to keep traditions.
5.People describe her as an iconoclast because she ___ the usual way of thinking in her community.
6.The term "iconoclast" originally referred to someone who ___ religious images during history.
7.An iconoclast might ___ new ideas even if others think those ideas are strange or wrong.