idiom
March to the Beat of a Different Drummer
MARCH to the BEET of a DIF-er-ent DRUM-er
/mɑːrtʃ tə ðə biːt əv ə ˈdɪfərənt ˈdrʌmər/Listen
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Syllable breakdown
MARCHtotheBEETofaDIFerentDRUMer
Dictionary meaning
To think and behave independently; to live according to one's own values or principles without following the crowd or conforming to conventional norms.
Examples
- She never cared about trends — she always marched to the beat of a different drummer.
- Artists who march to the beat of a different drummer often face initial resistance but eventually change culture.
Pronunciation tips
Derived from Henry David Thoreau's Walden: 'If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.'
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