anti-intellectual
adjective
an·ti-in·tel·lec·tu·al
ˌan-tē-ˌin-tə-ˈlek-ch(ə-w)əl 
-ˈlek-shwəl,
ˌan-tī-
: opposing or hostile to intellectuals or to an intellectual view or approach
anti-intellectual
noun
Examples of anti-intellectual in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As the Cultural Revolution tears through China, young scientist Ye Wenjie (Zine Tseng) watches a mob beat her father to death in an anti-intellectual frenzy.
—
Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024
On and on the anti-intellectual drivel goes, parroted by scores more of MAGA Media personalities who spend their days peddling junk to their audiences.
—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 30 Jan. 2024
That puts Disney, a reputable brand that aims to be as inoffensive as possible, in the company of Fox News, the only other major television broadcaster that comes to mind that allows for the irresponsible and unchecked airing of such anti-intellectual drivel.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2024
And his attacks on science and education form part of a troubling anti-intellectual, right-wing populism that threatens liberal democracies worldwide.
—Eric D. Carter, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2023
But as the historian Richard Hofstadter noted at the time, the United States has long nurtured a powerful anti-intellectual strain—one that reached an especially vicious apotheosis during the 1950s.
—Beverly Gage, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2021
The mob is anti-intellectual, incurious, and authoritarian.
—David Harsanyi, National Review, 27 Apr. 2023
Judge Kyle Duncan and many others lament not only the restriction of ideas and speech, but also the anti-intellectual and illiberal environments in top universities today that make a dean believe that censorship is necessary to maintain the peace.
—WSJ, 29 Mar. 2023
The similarities between the two cases are striking: an anti-intellectual undercurrent depicting teachers as carriers of alien, even anti-American, values; the imposition of political litmus tests on academic standards; the enforcement of orthodoxy through government power.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2023
Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024
On and on the anti-intellectual drivel goes, parroted by scores more of MAGA Media personalities who spend their days peddling junk to their audiences.
—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 30 Jan. 2024
That puts Disney, a reputable brand that aims to be as inoffensive as possible, in the company of Fox News, the only other major television broadcaster that comes to mind that allows for the irresponsible and unchecked airing of such anti-intellectual drivel.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2024
And his attacks on science and education form part of a troubling anti-intellectual, right-wing populism that threatens liberal democracies worldwide.
—Eric D. Carter, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2023
But as the historian Richard Hofstadter noted at the time, the United States has long nurtured a powerful anti-intellectual strain—one that reached an especially vicious apotheosis during the 1950s.
—Beverly Gage, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2021
The mob is anti-intellectual, incurious, and authoritarian.
—David Harsanyi, National Review, 27 Apr. 2023
Judge Kyle Duncan and many others lament not only the restriction of ideas and speech, but also the anti-intellectual and illiberal environments in top universities today that make a dean believe that censorship is necessary to maintain the peace.
—WSJ, 29 Mar. 2023
The similarities between the two cases are striking: an anti-intellectual undercurrent depicting teachers as carriers of alien, even anti-American, values; the imposition of political litmus tests on academic standards; the enforcement of orthodoxy through government power.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anti-intellectual.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1821, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of anti-intellectual was
in 1821
Dictionary Entries Near anti-intellectual
Cite this Entry
“Anti-intellectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-intellectual. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
More from Merriam-Webster on anti-intellectual
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share