iconoclastic means characterized by attack on established and accepted beliefs, customs, or institutions; of or pertaining to iconoclasm. It carries an Arena rating of 1585, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, iconoclastic ranks #411 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #1,209 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #1,249 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words, #1,256 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words.
Why “iconoclastic” is a great word
Characterized by the attack on or rejection of established and widely accepted beliefs, customs, or institutions. Formed within English from 'iconoclast' (from Greek eikōn ("image") + klan ("to break")) + the adjectival suffix '-ic'. Unlike "heretical" (which denotes deviation specifically from religious doctrine) or "reformist" (which suggests working within systems to improve them), iconoclastic describes a more radical, confrontational stance—one that smashes rather than mends. It is the sledgehammer meeting the plaster saint, the acrid scent of burnt manuscripts in a public square, and the cold draft that rushes in when a long-sealed door is kicked open. To be iconoclastic is to wield the exhilarating, terrifying power of the break, a lonely clarity that sees the gods were never there at all.
Etymology
From iconoclast + -ic.
adj
- Characterized by attack on established and accepted beliefs, customs, or institutions; of or pertaining to iconoclasm.e.g.“Many of Thomas Hardy's works were considered iconoclastic in his day.”
noun
- Synonym of iconoclast.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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