maverick

/ˈmævərɪk/
noun
  1. A person who thinks and acts independently, not following the usual rules or opinions of a group.
    • She was a maverick in the art world, always trying new styles that others thought were strange.
    • The politician was known as a maverick who often voted against his own party.
    • In a company full of yes-men, he was the one maverick who spoke up with different ideas.
  2. An unbranded calf or young cow that has wandered away from its mother, especially on a ranch.
    • During the spring roundup, they found three mavericks hiding in the canyon.
    • A maverick without a brand could be claimed by any rancher who found it.
    • The cowboys rounded up the maverick that had strayed from the herd.
Antonyms
adjective
  1. Independent and not following the usual rules or opinions of a group.
    • He took a maverick stance on the issue, refusing to side with either party.
    • Her maverick approach to teaching made her popular with students but worried the principal.
    • The director's maverick style of filmmaking won him both fans and critics.
What does "maverick" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean