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 theoretical
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
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Recent Examples of academic
Preston Fore, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho touted the district’s success in academic improvement, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and establishing new historic highs in reading and math, as revealed by the Smarter Balanced State Assessment.
—City News Service, Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026
Anthony Izaguirre, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
Zhang Chi, an academic at China's National Defense University, said the vessel can simultaneously launch attack helicopters, landing craft, amphibious tanks and armored vehicles.
—Yimou Lee, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for academic
Adjective
Still, Brin doesn’t regret his own academic path.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2026
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho touted the district’s success in academic improvement, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and establishing new historic highs in reading and math, as revealed by the Smarter Balanced State Assessment.
—City News Service, Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026
Noun
Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, an academic and author.
—Anthony Izaguirre, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
Zhang Chi, an academic at China's National Defense University, said the vessel can simultaneously launch attack helicopters, landing craft, amphibious tanks and armored vehicles.
—Yimou Lee, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for academic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for academic
Adjective
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The Alliance is a nonprofit, private-public collaborative consisting of businesses, government, educational institutions and community organizations.—
Marianne Love,
Daily News,
13 Jan. 2026
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When children reach school age, mothers spend three times longer than fathers organizing educational activities and nearly twice as much time transporting children to school and activities.—
Oona Metz,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Since taking the post, Inboden has criticized universities as straying from their mission, saying universities must restore intellectual diversity and their civic responsibilities.—
Austin American Statesman,
Austin American Statesman,
12 Jan. 2026
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Since 1989, Country Montessori School has been helping children develop their intellectual, physical, social, and emotional potential to the fullest.—
Jose Bolanos,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In solving an 80-year-old chemical mystery, the researchers have not only answered a long-standing theoretical question but also expanded the toolbox of modern chemistry.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
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Beat writer Lauren Williams walks us through a few theoretical trades here.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Chinese research took a long while to recover from Mao’s purge of academe.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
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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
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The Mediterranean in the tenth to seventh century BCE often gets explained by scholars using modern terminology like sea commerce, cabotage or maritime trade, and this presents a false picture of a world that is structured by rules and organized interstate bodies and national governments.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
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Paloma Picasso book bags This is one for the scholars!—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Dunn wanted the property to be used as a scholarly and artistic retreat.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
7 Jan. 2026
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Rather than relying on decorative excess, the library’s pietra serena framework underscores its role as a working scholarly space.—
Navya Verma,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Forecasting revenues over a 99-year period stretches credibility, as economic models typically lose reliability within five years, making century-long projections speculative at best.—
Michelle Grau,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
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Government lawyers urged the court to dismiss the case, arguing no specific plaintiff has faced deportation or visa revocation and that any harm is speculative.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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Other founding principals include fellow academicians Andrei Shleifer and Robert Vishny.—
Charles Rotblut,
Forbes,
18 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Academic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/academic. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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