nonrepresentational

adjective

non·​rep·​re·​sen·​ta·​tion·​al ˌnän-ˌre-pri-ˌzen-ˈtā-shnəl How to pronounce nonrepresentational (audio)
-zən-,
-shə-nᵊl
: nonobjective sense 2
a nonrepresentational sculpture
nonrepresentationalism noun

Examples of nonrepresentational in a Sentence

nonrepresentational photographs that are really about the play of light on rapidly moving objects
Recent Examples on the Web Sarcasm warming into insight was the hallmark of the style, which borrowed the nonrepresentational techniques of midcentury drama and wed it to a psychological acuity rarely before seen in American musicals. New York Times, 9 Dec. 2021 Alfred Leslie, a second-generation Abstract Expressionist and filmmaker who turned his back on nonrepresentational art in the early 1960s to lead a revival of figurative painting, died on Friday in Brooklyn. William Grimes, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2023 The show’s standout, however, is a nonrepresentational piece. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2022 The blossoms in her new artwork jostle with nonrepresentational imagery, and are often deployed in fanciful ways. Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2022 What is beyond doubt is Graham’s affinity with nonrepresentational art, aimed not at telling a story but at conveying deep emotions and fundamental truths. Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2022 Anyone who loves, studies or makes nonrepresentational paintings ought to see this traveling exhibition, and not just for the sheer joy of a gorgeous show full of surprises. Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2022 His immediate artistic forebears, including Jackson Pollock and the other nonrepresentational painters of the 1950s, had already thoroughly upended the notion of painting as a recognizable picture. BostonGlobe.com, 27 June 2022 Democrats already labor under the nonrepresentational quality of the U.S. Senate, where, according to a recent analysis by Vox, the 50 Democratic senators represent 41.6 million more people than 50 Republican senators. Eric Zorn, chicagotribune.com, 27 Apr. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nonrepresentational.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonrepresentational was in 1923

Dictionary Entries Near nonrepresentational

Cite this Entry

“Nonrepresentational.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonrepresentational. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

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