Iconoclast
n. /aɪˈkɒnəklæst/ (آئیکونوکلَیسٹ)A person who attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs or institutions, especially established ones.
Iconoclast Meaning in Urdu
In everyday Urdu, iconoclast describes someone who boldly challenges accepted beliefs or traditions.
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1
A person who challenges or rejects traditional beliefs or institutionsروایت شکن شخص
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2
(historical/religious) one who destroys religious images or iconsبت شکن (تاریخی معنی)
Modern usage almost always refers to someone challenging conventional wisdom or established institutions, rather than the literal historical or religious sense.
Word Details
| Word | Iconoclast |
| Part of Speech | Noun |
| CEFR Level | C1 |
| Difficulty | Ielts |
| Urdu Meaning | روایت شکن، بت شکن |
| English Meaning | A person who challenges cherished beliefs or institutions |
| Pronunciation | /aɪˈkɒnəklæst/ |
| Word Type | Formal noun |
| Commonness | Common in cultural, artistic, and business writing |
Pronunciation
Simple English Explanation
Use “iconoclast” for someone who publicly challenges accepted beliefs, traditions, or institutions — an iconoclast in the art world who rejects every established rule of composition.
اردو وضاحت
“Iconoclast” اس شخص کے لیے استعمال ہوتا ہے جو کھلے عام قبول شدہ عقائد، روایات یا اداروں کو چیلنج کرے۔
Example Sentences
Synonyms
Nuance: “Rebel” is broad and can apply to anyone defiant; “iconoclast” specifically implies challenging established beliefs, traditions, or institutions through ideas, art, or public critique, and is often admired as original thinking.
Antonyms
Common Collocations
Word Family
| Form | Word |
|---|---|
| Adjective | Iconoclastic |
| Noun | Iconoclast / Iconoclasm |
| Adverb | Iconoclastically |
There is no standard verb form directly from “iconoclast.”
Iconoclast vs Rebel
“Rebel” is a broad term for anyone who defies authority or convention, often through action rather than ideas.
“Iconoclast” specifically challenges established beliefs, traditions, or institutions, often through ideas, art, or public critique, and is frequently admired as an original thinker rather than simply defiant.
Common Mistakes
✓ The rebel at school skipped every homework assignment.
Skipping homework is simple rule-breaking, not challenging established beliefs — “iconoclast” doesn’t fit.
IELTS Usage
Writing: Useful in Task 2 essays about innovation, tradition versus progress, or influential figures.
Speaking: Can describe an influential, rule-breaking figure in Part 2 or 3.
Example: “Many scientific breakthroughs have come from iconoclasts willing to question accepted theories.”
MDCAT / Academic Usage
Appears in history, art, and cultural studies passages, and originally in religious history describing those who destroyed religious icons.
Word Origin / Etymology
From Greek eikonoklastes, combining eikon (“image”) and klastes (“breaker”) — originally referring to those who destroyed religious icons during the Byzantine Iconoclasm.
Memory Tip
“Icon” + “clast” (breaker, as in “cataclysm”) — an iconoclast “breaks” traditional icons or beliefs.
Mini Quiz
1. Meaning of “iconoclast”:
2. Correct sentence:
3. Antonym of “iconoclast”:
4. Adjective form:
Score: 0 / 4
FAQs
What is the meaning of iconoclast in Urdu?
Iconoclast means روایت شکن، بت شکن — a person who attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs or institutions.
Is iconoclast a noun, verb, or adjective?
Noun; the adjective form is iconoclastic and the related abstract noun is iconoclasm.
What are the synonyms of iconoclast?
Rebel, nonconformist, maverick, and dissenter — with nuance explained above.
What is the opposite of iconoclast?
Conformist, traditionalist, and conventionalist.