ac·a·dem·ic
ˌa-kə-ˈde-mik 
variants
or less commonly academical
1
a
: of, relating to, or associated with an academy or school especially of higher learning
the academic curriculum
academic courses
b
: of or relating to performance in courses of study
academic excellence
academic achievements
c
: very learned but inexperienced in practical matters
academic thinkers
d
: based on formal study especially at an institution of higher learning
her academic qualifications
2
: of or relating to literary or artistic rather than technical or professional studies
a region that has both academic and vocational high schools
3
a
: theoretical, speculative
a purely academic question
b
: having no practical or useful significance
4
: conforming to the traditions or rules of a school (as of literature or art) or an official academy : conventional
academic painting
1
a
: a member (such as a professor) of an institution of learning (such as a university)
Both of her parents are academics.
b
: a person who is academic in background, outlook, or methods
2
academics plural, chiefly US
: academic subjects : courses of study taken at a school or college
He has no interest in academics.
Synonyms
Examples of academic in a Sentence
Adjective
She received awards for her academic achievements.
I spent my academic career at one school.
The board set tough academic standards for graduation.
He was offered a teaching job and decided to return to academic life.
His interest in sailing is purely academic. He's not a sailor himself.
He's not very academic, but he's good with his hands.
Noun
The book appeals to academics and to the general public.
He only cares about sports. He has no interest in academics.
Recent Examples on the Web
Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
Jie Shan and Kin Fai Mak, an academic power couple who run a lab at Cornell University, had been searching for superconductivity in TMDs since Jarillo-Herrero’s blockbuster twisted-graphene discovery in 2018.
—Charlie Wood, WIRED, 12 Jan. 2025
Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 13 Jan. 2025
Even though many schools still retain academics that continuously rank poorly in student surveys, in the next decade that is likely to change.
—Sergei Revzin and Vadim Revzin, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for academic 
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Adjective
In the contemporary world, the Divine Nine boasts diverse growth and development programs, serving their respective communities through camaraderie, academic excellence, and educational, cultural, and economic activities.
—Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
Jie Shan and Kin Fai Mak, an academic power couple who run a lab at Cornell University, had been searching for superconductivity in TMDs since Jarillo-Herrero’s blockbuster twisted-graphene discovery in 2018.
—Charlie Wood, WIRED, 12 Jan. 2025
Noun
This scene has been studied and written about by countless scholars and academics as a groundbreaking subversion of the male gaze and of the consumption of women as products.
—Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 13 Jan. 2025
Even though many schools still retain academics that continuously rank poorly in student surveys, in the next decade that is likely to change.
—Sergei Revzin and Vadim Revzin, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for academic
Dictionary Entries Near academic
Cite this Entry
“Academic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/academic. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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