pedantic

adjective

pe·​dan·​tic pi-ˈdan-tik 

1

: of, relating to, or being a pedant

a pedantic teacher

2

: narrowly, stodgily, and often ostentatiously learned

a pedantic insistence that we follow the rules exactly

Far worse, he was pedantic, pernickety, letting nothing inaccurate or of uncertain meaning go by—not an aphrodisiac quality.

—Kingsley Amis

3

: unimaginative, dull

Pedantic song choices don't help any. Only 2 out of 10 songs stray from the most common classic-rock fodder.

—Jim Farber

pedantically

pi-ˈdan-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between pedantic and didactic?

The word didactic generally means "designed to teach," but it is often used in a negative way to describe boring or annoying lessons, or the people who teach them. While didactic can have a neutral meaning, pedantic is almost always an insult. It typically describes an irritating person who is eager to correct small errors others make, or who wants everyone to know just how much of an expert they are, especially in some narrow or boring subject matter.

Is pedantic an insult?

Pedantic is an insulting word used to describe someone who annoys others by correcting small errors, caring too much about minor details, or emphasizing their own expertise especially in some narrow or boring subject matter.

What is an example of pedantic?

A pedantic person may do lots of annoying things, such as point out minor errors, correct people who make small mistakes, and brag about their own knowledge and expertise.

Examples of pedantic in a Sentence

It may seem pedantic to harp on what looks like mere procedure, but this is one case where the process is the forest. —Hendrik Hertzberg, New Yorker, 29 May 2000

Yet not since Kenneth Roberts has anyone written of early New England life in such vivid and convincing detail. (The minor inaccuracies will stir only the pedantic.) —Annie Proulx, New York Times Book Review, 28 Apr. 1991

What I'm objecting to is that picture books are judged from a particular, pedantic point of view vis-à-vis their relation to children—and I insist that a picture book is much more. —Maurice Sendak, Caldecott & Co., 1988

She is looking for the will, or for the diary; always looking for herself in history, the self the pious, pedantic Tolstoyans would disinherit and deny.  … —Elizabeth Hardwick, Bartleby in Manhattan and Other Essays, (1962) 1984

Recent Examples on the Web

In Korea and Vietnam, the Soviet Union and its partners stalled negotiations, insisting on the most pedantic points, accusing the U.S. of bad faith, and starting with outlandish demands that, if the U.S. were to satisfy them, would have amounted to capitulation. —Niall Ferguson, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2024

The 63-page booklet was classic Sinclair: heartfelt, pedantic and too ahead of its time for its own good. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024

Zawahiri’s public statements betray a pedantic tone, an overbearing manner, and impatience with critics. —Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2019

Thomas was both more romantic and more pedantic than his son had imagined. —Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see pedant

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!