academic 1 of 2

adjective

ˌa-kə-ˈde-mik How to pronounce academic (audio)
variants also academical
Definition of academicnext
1
as in educational
of or relating to schooling or learning especially at an advanced level "If you spent more time in academic pursuits and less time in social ones, you could easily make good grades," the dean told Valerie

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2
as in intellectual
very learned or educated but inexperienced in practical matters academic thinkers who have no understanding of realpolitik

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3
as in theoretical
existing only as an assumption or speculation your arguments are merely academic—such a worst-case scenario is unlikely to ever occur

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academic

2 of 2

noun

1
as in academe

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2
as in scholar

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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 academic
Adjective
The school says students are only asked to leave for behavioral issues, not failure to meet academic standards. — Maya Blackstone, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 One of the most comprehensive studies of California’s multibillion-dollar investment in early education programs offers evidence that the funding is paying off in academic achievement years later. — Emily Woodruff, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
The plan aims to close historic academic and opportunity gaps for Black students. — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 Nowlin, a career legal academic, was well liked by faculty and students. — Benjamin Wofford, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for academic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for academic
  1. educational
  2. intellectual
  3. theoretical
  4. academe
  5. scholar
  6. scholarly
  7. cerebral
  8. speculative
Adjective
  • For example, any school that gets federal money must ensure that students have equal chances to take advantage of educational opportunities, whether or not English is their native language.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 22 Oct. 2026
  • De Rham, working closely with Mancini, was able to activate people from across the sector, from small educational nonprofits to large theaters that reliably receive line item funding in the governor’s budget each year.
    — Lucy Gellman, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of educational
Adjective
  • Walzer thought the matter through aloud with me, at one point letting out a small chuckle at his intellectual perplexity.
    — Jordi Graupera, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The 500-piece collection reflects the Black writers who have shaped her intellectual and artistic growth.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of intellectual
Adjective
  • For now, the research work establishes a theoretical possibility under restrictive conditions, not evidence that any black hole has ever been divided into two.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Such scenarios may become more common as militaries continue to deploy a once-theoretical technology — AI-assisted or autonomous weapons, capable of making both targeting and launch decisions on their own — on real battlefields around the globe.
    — Kylie Jones, Vox, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of theoretical
Noun
  • And in the academe, there is a growing demand for nuclear science education.
    — Lorela U. Sandoval, Christian Science Monitor, 25 June 2026
  • Different goals lead to different strategies The differences between industry and academe begin with a divergence in purpose.
    — Maysam Ghovanloo, IEEE Spectrum, 28 May 2026
Definition of academe
Noun
  • During that period and beyond, Hawthorne kept a series of notebooks, which scholars see as an important primary source for understanding the ideas and descriptions that informed his early writings and later novels.
    — Robert S. Levine, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
  • For decades, hundreds of thousands of its objects were available only to scholars and curators.
    — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of scholar
Adjective
  • The law does not apply to scholarly activities, student activities and groups or creative engagements, according to the 5th Circuit.
    — Sophie Bates, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The law does not apply to scholarly activities, student activities and groups or creative engagements, according to the Fifth Circuit.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of scholarly
Adjective
  • But Blade Runner isn’t just known for cerebral questions about existence and purpose, it’s also known for breaking visual ground.
    — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2026
  • This becomes clear when, moving on from ephemera, the exhibit turns cerebral.
    — J. Hoberman, ARTnews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of cerebral
Adjective
  • Those concerns stretch across the realities of AI’s growth today and more speculative possibilities raised by some technologists and whistle-blowers.
    — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Yet, as in many speculative markets, sophisticated participants often have access to better information, stronger analytical tools and more advanced risk-management techniques than retail participants, giving them an informational edge.
    — Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of speculative

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Cite this Entry

“Academic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/academic. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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