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 In the context of a smartphone, this distinction can feel a little pedantic. — Literary Hub, 17 June 2026 Complaining that Seinfeld couldn't get made today is the kind of thing that the fictional Jerry Seinfeld would do, so at least the real-life Jerry Seinfeld is staying true to his pedantic on-screen persona. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 17 June 2026 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 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
  • 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
  • Let’s start with tracking Savu, where, because of the tiny tribes, the most obvious and boring thing ends up happening.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Smith is betting that in a market where every phone looks the same, the bigger risk is being boring.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • For a growing list of health-literate celebrities, the answer was no until chronic irritation forced an eye exam.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Highly literate working men and women were almost always in the vanguard of campaigns for social and democratic change.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of literate
Adjective
  • Tommy Gemmell, advanced from left-back, provided the equaliser on 63 minutes and with Inter tiring and Celtic still pushing, Chalmers scored the famous winner with six minutes left.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But after a while, the lack of grounding gets tiring, as various supernatural shenanigans appear to be determined more by plot convenience than anything else.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of tiring
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
  • Like scoops of an ocean unmarred by humans, quarts of seaweed soup sit next to other flavors like spicy beef and pine nut and soybean, a shade of creamy beige so calming, one glance is enough to effectively absolve the color of its dull reputation.
    — Vanessa Anderson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • If your skin's looking a little dull or feeling rough, the best alpha hydroxy acid products might be exactly what your routine is missing.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of dull
Adjective
  • For much of the world, the AI that would matter most may not be the most intelligent model ever built.
    — Keyu Jin, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
  • This all-loving creator is ever present, completely good, and the intelligent source of immortal truth and unending love.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of intelligent
Adjective
  • In one memorable scene, Mari takes to a whiteboard to explain the destructive workings of capitalism, a lengthy, potentially didactic exercise that Okamoto transforms into an unexpectedly intimate exchange.
    — Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Not wanting a didactic feel, Ebenstein eschewed labels for the art, artifacts, masks, toys, skeletal and wet specimens, wax scientific models, devotional objects, vintage taxidermy and books.
    — Dina Cheney, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of didactic

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Cite this Entry

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

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