1
a
: one that reads
b
: one appointed to read to others: such as
(1)
: lector
(2)
: one chosen to read aloud selected material in a Christian Science church or society
c(1)
(2)
: one who evaluates manuscripts
(3)
: one who reads periodical literature to discover items of special interest or value
d
: an employee who reads and records the indications of meters
e
: a teacher's assistant who reads and marks student papers
2
British
: one who reads lectures or expounds subjects to students
3
a
: a device for projecting a readable image of a transparency
b
: an electronic device that scans coded information (as on punch cards or bar codes) for storage or computation
5
readers plural
: eyeglasses used for reading or close work : reading glasses
Gilda came back with a pair of readers and, looking through her glasses, gave my eyelids serious consideration.—
Jeanne Ray
Jeanne RaySynonyms
Examples of reader in a Sentence
The book's ending leaves readers to draw their own conclusions.
a magazine with three million readers
Recent Examples on the Web
Perhaps the best Martini one can enjoy is on the porch of my home in the country, but not all readers will find themselves there.
—Gary Shteyngart, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2024
With attention to the brain’s ability to be shaped and reshaped, his analysis allows readers to understand the ways trauma lingers—and our capacity to heal from it.
—Mia Barzilay Freund, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2024
She’s been busy exploring the Milwaukee area food scene to share her favorite finds with readers along the way.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2024
This year, besides providing an overall ranking, USA TODAY and Statista included separate groupings based on the amount of assets RIAs oversee so readers can compare firms in similar size classes.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
These examples are surely instructive on their own, but the exclusion of so many other countries that have fared more poorly prevents the reader from learning from failure as well as triumph.
—Shivshankar Menon, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Festival of Books Some writers and readers wrestle with tough subjects at the 29th event.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
The weekly newsletter that includes a column by Williams, the assistant managing editor for race and equity, is emailed to readers who request it.
—The Star’s Leadership Team, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2024
Their names remained unknown until 1979, when a reader wrote to The Times identifying the newsboy as Andrew Azzoni, whose father was a waiter at a nightspot frequented by Troubetzkoy.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Gary Shteyngart, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2024
With attention to the brain’s ability to be shaped and reshaped, his analysis allows readers to understand the ways trauma lingers—and our capacity to heal from it.
—Mia Barzilay Freund, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2024
She’s been busy exploring the Milwaukee area food scene to share her favorite finds with readers along the way.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2024
This year, besides providing an overall ranking, USA TODAY and Statista included separate groupings based on the amount of assets RIAs oversee so readers can compare firms in similar size classes.
—Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
These examples are surely instructive on their own, but the exclusion of so many other countries that have fared more poorly prevents the reader from learning from failure as well as triumph.
—Shivshankar Menon, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
Festival of Books Some writers and readers wrestle with tough subjects at the 29th event.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
The weekly newsletter that includes a column by Williams, the assistant managing editor for race and equity, is emailed to readers who request it.
—The Star’s Leadership Team, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2024
Their names remained unknown until 1979, when a reader wrote to The Times identifying the newsboy as Andrew Azzoni, whose father was a waiter at a nightspot frequented by Troubetzkoy.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reader.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near reader
Cite this Entry
“Reader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reader. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reader
noun
read·er
ˈrēd-ər 
1
: a person who reads
2
a
: a device that makes a readable image
a microfilm reader
b
: a machine for acquiring data (as for a computer)
a card reader
3
: a book for learning or practicing reading
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