literary
adjective
lit·er·ary
ˈli-tə-ˌrer-ē 
1
a
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of humane learning or literature
a literary education
a literary institution
b
: bookish sense 2
an essay written in a very literary style
c
: of or relating to books
a literary agent
a literary manuscript
2
a
: well-read
… he is literary, given to quoting to himself rather long stretches of remembered lines …—
F. J. Hoffman
F. J. Hoffman
b
: of or relating to authors or scholars or to their professions
her literary biographies
Synonyms of literary
Examples of literary in a Sentence
Do his books have any literary merit?
Mystery fiction is only one of many literary forms.
an essay written in a very literary style
The author uses many literary devices in his work.
He entered the literary world right out of college.
She hired a literary agent.
Recent Examples on the Web
The actress, who will appear in theaters this weekend as part of Steven Spielberg’s drama Disclosure Day, has signed with talent and literary agency Verve.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
Since its founding in 2011, the MPWW has been fostering a unique literary community in Minnesota.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Mostly forgotten today is a literary subgenre that sprang up in the nineteenth century in order to give fictional shape to anxieties about the possibility of Britain’s invasion and defeat by its European neighbors.
—Ivan Kreilkamp, JSTOR Daily, 10 June 2026
Others take the story’s recognition by the Commonwealth judges as evidence that the literary establishment is guilty of condescending to the Global South.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for literary
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Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2026
Since its founding in 2011, the MPWW has been fostering a unique literary community in Minnesota.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
Mostly forgotten today is a literary subgenre that sprang up in the nineteenth century in order to give fictional shape to anxieties about the possibility of Britain’s invasion and defeat by its European neighbors.
—Ivan Kreilkamp, JSTOR Daily, 10 June 2026
Others take the story’s recognition by the Commonwealth judges as evidence that the literary establishment is guilty of condescending to the Global South.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for literary
Cite this Entry
“Literary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literary. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
literary
adjective
lit·er·ary
ˈlit-ə-ˌrer-ē
1
a
: of or relating to literature
b
2
: of or relating to writers or writing as a profession
literarily
adverb
ˌlit-ə-ˈrer-ə-lē
literariness
noun
ˈlit-ə-ˌrer-ē-nəs
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