# march to the beat of a different drum

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/march-to-the-beat-of-a-different-drum
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To do things in one's own way regardless of societal norms and conventional expectations.

## Examples

- He always marches to the beat of a different drum.
- She never follows fashion trends because she prefers to march to the beat of a different drum.
- Throughout his long career, the artist consistently marched to the beat of a different drum, ignoring critics who demanded he conform to traditional styles.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.