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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in boring
causing weariness or lack of interest
I found the author's writing informative but dreadfully pedantic.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pedantic
For the pedantic like myself, this translates to 3,452.33834 regular miles or a numerically pleasing 5,555.99999 km.
—
New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2024
Torres has managed to make a show that feels true, personally and sociologically, without pedantic attachment to any set of specific facts.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 19 July 2024
Hollingsworth can be pedantic at times, which is understandable given the massive volume of material needed to convey de’ Medici’s enormous influence over a relatively lengthy life.
—Dave Kindy, Washington Post, 10 July 2024
The fundamental test of taste is in Bodet’s realization of the potentially absurd anachronistic element—the lives and fortunes of Manet and Baudelaire in the age of the smartphone, a conceit that could easily have turned goofy or pedantic.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for pedantic 
New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2024
Torres has managed to make a show that feels true, personally and sociologically, without pedantic attachment to any set of specific facts.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 19 July 2024
Hollingsworth can be pedantic at times, which is understandable given the massive volume of material needed to convey de’ Medici’s enormous influence over a relatively lengthy life.
—Dave Kindy, Washington Post, 10 July 2024
The fundamental test of taste is in Bodet’s realization of the potentially absurd anachronistic element—the lives and fortunes of Manet and Baudelaire in the age of the smartphone, a conceit that could easily have turned goofy or pedantic.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for pedantic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pedantic
Adjective
-
In that book, and throughout his scholarly career, Blackhawk has attempted to enrich our conception of the American story by placing Native Americans at its center.The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2024
-
Work produced during the residency will be showcased in exhibitions and scholarly publications, while DAF’s regional and international partnerships provide pathways for ongoing creative and academic exploration.The Editors of ARTnews, ARTnews.com, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Black Friday Saks Fifth Avenue Jewelry Deals Basics don’t have to be boring—and this Black Friday, why not restock your everyday essentials?Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 29 Nov. 2024
-
Winner of the Locarno Jury Prize, this daring essay-film is radical and often bleak but, even at its nearly 3-hour run time, never boring.Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Available on The Week Bookshop Middlemarch George Eliot, 1871 Lydia, my wonderful and vastly more literate wife, convinced me to read this after years of gentle persuasion.The Week UK, theweek, 27 Sep. 2024
-
Jeff Wheeler, a photographer at the Star Tribune, said Doman challenged the stereotype that photographers aren’t very literate through his love of books, and his Scrabble skills.Natasha Delion, Twin Cities, 9 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
This somewhat surprising 8,600 improvement may be consumers tiring of online commerce and wanting to get out to shop.Jonathan Lansner, Orange County Register, 28 Nov. 2024
-
But fights about politics — or simply not knowing what to say — can sometimes make for a tiring experience.Natasha Frost, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Together, these advanced AI platforms democratize technological innovation, enabling employees to leverage intelligent tools without extensive technical expertise.Dean DeBiase, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
-
The kids fall into familiar types: The rebellious and clever girl, Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong); the intelligent skeptic, KB (Kyriana Kratter); the adventurous boy lacking forethought, Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers); and the comic relief, alien Neel (Robert Timothy Smith).Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Sweet Rose High Rolled Accent Chair Brighten up dull spaces with this floral accent chair that’s on major sale ahead of Black Friday.Kelsey Fredricks, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
-
Peter Field and Adam Morgan call it the ‘extraordinary cost of dull’.Sairah Ashman, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
What are permanent and steady as the Rock of Gibraltar are cerebral pleasures from doing the right thing: kindness, benevolence, unsparing selflessness, unwearied devotion to justice, becoming wiser and more resilient by the day.Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 1 Dec. 2024
-
Bowers has a knack for getting open, but that’s partially a result of his cerebral approach to the game.Tashan Reed, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Neither didactic nor gratuitous, these questions are neatly streamed into the screenplay and will enhance the film’s appeal for many viewers.Richard Kuipers, Variety, 29 Oct. 2024
-
Roots of the New York School: The Foundations of American Modernism is a madly didactic abstraction that looks further back in time to artists and collectors like Duchamp, Rothko, Betty Parsons, Peggy Guggenheim, and Lee Krasner.Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
Articles Related to pedantic
Thesaurus Entries Near pedantic
Cite this Entry
“Pedantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pedantic. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share