literary
adjective
lit·er·ary
ˈli-tə-ˌrer-ē 
1
a
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of humane learning or literature
a literary education
a literary institution
b
: bookish sense 2
an essay written in a very literary style
c
: of or relating to books
a literary agent
a literary manuscript
2
a
: well-read
… he is literary, given to quoting to himself rather long stretches of remembered lines …—
F. J. Hoffman
F. J. Hoffman
b
: of or relating to authors or scholars or to their professions
her literary biographies
Synonyms of literary
Examples of literary in a Sentence
Do his books have any literary merit?
Mystery fiction is only one of many literary forms.
an essay written in a very literary style
The author uses many literary devices in his work.
He entered the literary world right out of college.
She hired a literary agent.
Recent Examples on the Web
The film shines a harsh, and largely harrowing, spotlight on the growing waves of book bans across the nation and the roles librarians have on the front lines of literary access.
—Angele Latham, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Dec. 2025
The Black Cat Shoppe is a colorful spot for eclectic oddities and The Next Chapter Books & Art carries on the town’s rich literary history that dates to 1783 when the state’s first bookstore was opened in New Bern.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2025
But her family’s literary history, and access to literacy, was a privilege in more ways than one.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
Was bibliotherapy any kind of soothing literary experience?
—Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for literary
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Angele Latham, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Dec. 2025
The Black Cat Shoppe is a colorful spot for eclectic oddities and The Next Chapter Books & Art carries on the town’s rich literary history that dates to 1783 when the state’s first bookstore was opened in New Bern.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2025
But her family’s literary history, and access to literacy, was a privilege in more ways than one.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
Was bibliotherapy any kind of soothing literary experience?
—Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for literary
Cite this Entry
“Literary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literary. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
literary
adjective
lit·er·ary
ˈlit-ə-ˌrer-ē
1
a
: of or relating to literature
b
2
: of or relating to writers or writing as a profession
literarily
adverb
ˌlit-ə-ˈrer-ə-lē
literariness
noun
ˈlit-ə-ˌrer-ē-nəs
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