ivory-tower

adjective

Definition of ivory-towernext
as in academic
very learned or educated but inexperienced in practical matters a large public university that needs as its president not some ivory-tower intellectual but a skilled administrator

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for ivory-tower
academic
Adjective
  • Both public school districts continue to outperform the state of Florida average testing marks for most academic subject and skill tests.
    — Austin Horn July 3, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
  • Using basic academic terminology would place grants at risk of rejection or termination on political grounds.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
Definition of academic
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.

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itty-bitty
ivory-tower
ivory-towered
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Cite this Entry

“Ivory-tower.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ivory-tower. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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