1
as in scholarly
marked by or given to showing knowledge in a showy way
The writing was overly complex and pedantic, which made it nearly impossible to understand for anyone but a specialist. The speech was thoroughly researched and well structured, but too pedantic to appeal to a general audience.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boring
causing weariness or lack of interest
I found the author's writing informative but dreadfully pedantic.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pedantic
Plus, in addition to bringing back master-of-disguise penguin villain Feathers McGraw, the movie features a convincing while never pedantic message about our dependence on technology and the pleasures of doing things by hand.
—
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
The primary impact was to tournament players and to the pedantic rule grammar police.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
My goal is always to do it not in a preachy, pedantic way [but] just to explore these topics through personal stories and journeys by the people who are the most deeply impacted by them.
—Sunil Sadarangani, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for pedantic
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
The primary impact was to tournament players and to the pedantic rule grammar police.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
My goal is always to do it not in a preachy, pedantic way [but] just to explore these topics through personal stories and journeys by the people who are the most deeply impacted by them.
—Sunil Sadarangani, Deadline, 6 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for pedantic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pedantic
Adjective
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There is a long running scholarly debate dedicated to answering this question, and there is certainly room for improvement in how aid is allocated and executed.—
Kevin Sabet,
Newsweek,
24 Mar. 2025
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My scholarly research on the right to appeal explores how this process serves as a crucial safeguard in the country’s legal system.—
Cassandra Burke Robertson,
The Conversation,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Anything that isn’t someone bleeding out is boring to them, that kind of thing.—
Maria Fontoura,
Rolling Stone,
5 Apr. 2025
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Bring the shirt around your shoulders while adding extra color and dimension to your look—cold weather fits don’t have to be boring.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Ensuring that our state’s children are literate has a profound impact on Illinois’ future workforce, economy and safety.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2025
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This makes one wish that policymakers (and others among the intellectual elite) were far more literate in economics.—
Richard Lorenc,
Twin Cities,
16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Of course, going from shows to pickleball classes to after-hours jam sessions at B.B. King’s Blues Club can be tiring.—
DeMarco Williams,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Sanchez added a selfie from bed, sharing how tiring her pregnancy is.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Recognizing team members regularly enhances your emotional intelligence (EI) and creates a more emotionally intelligent workplace.—
Luciana Paulise,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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There is a troubling amount of survey data that has suggested that even in the contemporary era, there are many people who believe that Black people are inherently less intelligent genetically, and therefore that educational interventions are not likely to be effective.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Miracle leave-in product: on sale for $28 (30% off) Original price: $40 (Ulta) Dealing with dull or damaged hair?—
Christopher Murray,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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No race including Bianco or Jenner should ever be dull, though, and this one likely won’t be either.—
Thomas Elias,
The Mercury News,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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She’s since bounced between crowd-pleasing mainstream fare (Avengers: Infinity War, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) and darker, more cerebral works (Widows, His Three Daughters).—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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Read More: Scooby-Doo Live-Action Series Coming To Netflix According to the site, the new slayer is a more cerebral 16-year-old who's described as being more like Alyson Hanigan's Willow than Sarah Michelle Gellar's Buffy.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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These speeches then feel didactic in a way Shepard’s script never does, their fourth-wall-breaking execution making the play feel disjointed and self-consciously stagy — which is also a problem with the performances.—
Maya Phillips,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2025
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The original series found a way to achieve that: Slick, attractive characters delivered crisp legal jargon without coming off overly didactic.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pedantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pedantic. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.
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