pedantic

adjective

Definition of pedanticnext
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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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

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 Rice cleaners are pedantic and nitpicky. — Aksha Mittapalli, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2026 Special shout-out to the writers’ room for giving us a high-tension cold open and then segueing immediately post-credits to the Titan equivalent of a family road trip where Mom and Dad are pedantic geniuses arguing over what route to take to the beach. — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 22 May 2026 The problem with buying a striker from a team in Portugal is — to be a little pedantic — not that the Portuguese top flight is weak. — Michael Cox, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026 They were organized and well led by guides who were always clearly spoken, professional, and responsive to questions (if sometimes a tad pedantic in their fact-sharing). — Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pedantic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pedantic
  1. scholarly
  2. boring
  3. literate
  4. tiring
  5. cerebral
  6. dull
  7. intelligent
  8. didactic
Adjective
  • Some are scholarly, some deliciously indiscreet, all are perceptive in one way or another, and one plunges wholesale into obsession.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The menu is a scholarly affair, with drinks organized by decade and, beyond that, origin location.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of scholarly
Adjective
  • When talking about the Gerhardt brothers, Hudson, a quarterback, and Bailen, a receiver, first-year Village Christian coach Rand Holdren says there’s never a boring moment when the two are together.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Everton have finished 13th, in the boring but comfortable reassurance of mid-table, in each of the past two seasons.
    — Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • His most acute scorn was reserved for my then-colleague, Alan Abelson, the longtime lead columnist and former Barron’s editor known for his florid, literate and persistent bearishness.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Luwi considered Koiye the first person in Waieti to become literate.
    — Rachel Aviv, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of literate
Adjective
  • Food & Drink You’ll find just two dining venues on the property, The Dining Room (which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and the poolside Palapa Bar, but there’s no chance of tiring of the fare.
    — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Permanent Marker Removal Trying to scrub permanent marker away is tiring, time-consuming, and often futile without some type of product to loosen the marker.
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of tiring
Adjective
  • Japan has selected Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s luminously cerebral French-language feature All of a Sudden as its submission for the best international feature category at the 99th Academy Awards.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Even in the face of all that pressure, the shows — which debuted the tour’s four revolving setlists — were wildly successful, with tributes to Peart helping one of rock’s most cerebral bands hit new heights of emotional impact.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of cerebral
Adjective
  • In recent studies by AccuWeather experts, excessive rainfall can contribute to insect and fungus damage in parts of Pennsylvania, which may lead to duller colors and earlier leaf drop.
    — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The city is flooded with dull and uninteresting structures clad in the material.
    — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of dull
Adjective
  • Our hardware-agnostic capabilities expedite industrial adoption of Physical AI, while building the foundation that will support the next generation of intelligent robotic systems, including industrial humanoids.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Xiaomi moves beyond Nvidia Xiaomi’s existing electric vehicles have relied on Nvidia hardware for their intelligent-driving systems.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of intelligent
Adjective
  • Yet Manzoor is never didactic about expanding viewers’ perceptions of Muslim women.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
  • While the purpose of the video may have been didactic, Jiang tried her hand at flattery.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 25 July 2026
Definition of didactic

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pedant
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Cite this Entry

“Pedantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pedantic. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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