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
Reading is often a cherished solo activity but attending a literary festival can be a great way to connect with other bookworms, meet your favourite authors and discover new books.
—Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 26 Mar. 2026
View Outside’s longstanding literary storytelling tradition comes to life in audio with features that will both entertain and inform listeners.
—Outside Online, 25 Mar. 2026
Without the freedom to publish, there is no literary culture.
—Julie Finch, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
But a couple of Runoff’s standout tracks blend her personal experience with literary sources, and Ortiz has a knack for drawing these fantastical inspirations back down to earth.
—Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for literary
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Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 26 Mar. 2026
View Outside’s longstanding literary storytelling tradition comes to life in audio with features that will both entertain and inform listeners.
—Outside Online, 25 Mar. 2026
Without the freedom to publish, there is no literary culture.
—Julie Finch, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
But a couple of Runoff’s standout tracks blend her personal experience with literary sources, and Ortiz has a knack for drawing these fantastical inspirations back down to earth.
—Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for literary
Cite this Entry
“Literary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literary. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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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