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
Today, Khandaqji is regarded as one of the most distinctive literary voices of his generation.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
While fall is defined by Ole Miss football and tailgates at The Grove, the city boasts literary and arts scenes that flourish all year.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
Beyond the production of film and television based on preexisting books, Premeditated is working with Amazon and Entangled to concurrently develop film and television projects based on forthcoming literary titles.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
Scheduled for April 18 and 19, the literary festival will feature more than 550 storytellers and nearly 100 panels across the University of Southern California’s campus.
—Katie Simons, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for literary
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Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
While fall is defined by Ole Miss football and tailgates at The Grove, the city boasts literary and arts scenes that flourish all year.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
Beyond the production of film and television based on preexisting books, Premeditated is working with Amazon and Entangled to concurrently develop film and television projects based on forthcoming literary titles.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
Scheduled for April 18 and 19, the literary festival will feature more than 550 storytellers and nearly 100 panels across the University of Southern California’s campus.
—Katie Simons, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 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 14 Mar. 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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