variants
also academical
1
as in educational
of or relating to schooling or learning especially at an advanced level
"If you spent more time in academic pursuits and less time in social ones, you could easily make good grades," the dean told Valerie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intellectual
very learned or educated but inexperienced in practical matters
academic thinkers who have no understanding of realpolitik
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in theoretic
existing only as an assumption or speculation
your arguments are merely academic—such a worst-case scenario is unlikely to ever occur
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in academe
Related Words
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 academic
Norma Galeana, CNN Money, 4 July 2025
Athletic and extracurricular offerings are considered a highlight among students, although the focus is on academics, with students scoring an average of 1420 and 32 on the SAT and ACT, respectively.
—Charlie Finnerty, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
In 2022 the private sector gave a record high of 58 billion dollars to colleges and universities most of which contributed to academic programs and research as well as to the diversity of student bodies.
—Peter Balakian
july 9, Literary Hub, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for academic
Adjective
From June 1 through June 10 this year, ICE apprehended 722 people in the Los Angeles area, according to government figures obtained and shared by the Deportation Data Project, a group of academics and lawyers.
—Norma Galeana, CNN Money, 4 July 2025
Athletic and extracurricular offerings are considered a highlight among students, although the focus is on academics, with students scoring an average of 1420 and 32 on the SAT and ACT, respectively.
—Charlie Finnerty, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Noun
Notably, the Democratic patriotism dive began around 2015, as diversity, equity, and inclusion and critical race theory began to ooze from small academic circles through virtually the entire educational system.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
In 2022 the private sector gave a record high of 58 billion dollars to colleges and universities most of which contributed to academic programs and research as well as to the diversity of student bodies.
—Peter Balakian
july 9, Literary Hub, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for academic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for academic
Adjective
-
Raimondi hauls in some sociology professors at the end of his book, for intellectual heft, but his case is already made: The ones least caught out by the rise of Donald Trump were the real wrestling fans.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
6 July 2025
-
Much of intellectual history is a recombination of prior thought in new contexts.—
Chris Reed,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
Chinese research took a long while to recover from Mao’s purge of academe.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
-
His ideas have particularly struck a chord with readers who deal in aesthetics—artists, curators, designers, and architects—even though Han has not quite been embraced by philosophy academe.—
Kyle Chayka,
The New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2024
Noun
-
In addition to being a Sachs scholar, she was named a Gates Scholarship winner — a prestigious award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
12 July 2025
-
Robert Osborn, an early thinker on lawn tennis, was also a religious scholar.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
This family journey deeply shaped Fisher’s lifelong scholarly drive to chronicle the struggles and the triumphs of Black communities in the American West.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 July 2025
-
Of course, the sort of collection that attracts scholarly attention tends toward the rare and precious rather than Izod alligators.—
Libby Buck
July 1,
Literary Hub,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
Final Approach The consequences are no longer theoretical.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
-
For the first time in decades, the question of succession is no longer theoretical.—
Pegah Banihashemi,
Twin Cities,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
There’s little scaffolding or bridging, virtually no space given to centralized agencies, which most development academicians would agree still have their place.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Other founding principals include fellow academicians Andrei Shleifer and Robert Vishny.—
Charles Rotblut,
Forbes,
18 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Subsequent chapters explore great bookmen of the Renaissance, from the Florentine tradesman Vespasiano da Bisticci and the Flemish illuminator Simon Bening to the English antiquarian Sir Robert Cotton — manuscript obsessives all.—
Bruce Holsinger,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2023
-
In the 1970s and ’80s, a flamboyant Texas bookman and one-time president of the ABAA named John Jenkins made money selling stolen and forged items to libraries and collectors.—
Travis McDade,
Smithsonian Magazine,
18 Aug. 2020
Adjective
-
Distinguished Cadet Honors were awarded to cadets with scholastic standing and all-around aptitude in NJROTC activities.—
Cadet Nadeen Willat,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 July 2025
-
Today, youth sports are dominated by expensive club or travel teams that compete outside of local scholastic programs.—
Russell Dinkins,
Sportico.com,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Academic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/academic. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share