Synonyms of academic

academic 1 of 2

adjective

ˌa-kə-ˈde-mik 

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

• educational
• scholarly
• intellectual
• scholastic
• educative
• pedagogic
• pedagogical
• professorial
• bookish
• curricular
• collegiate
• nerdy
• postgraduate
• pedantic
• graduate
• tweedy
• geeky
• donnish
• nerdish
• instructive

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nonacademic
• extracurricular
• noneducational
• unscholarly
• cocurricular
• unacademic
• noncollegiate

2

as in intellectual

very learned or educated but inexperienced in practical matters

academic thinkers who have no understanding of realpolitik

Synonyms & Similar Words

• intellectual
• ivory-tower
• cerebral
• ivory-towered
• highbrow
• ivory-towerish
• eggheaded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• astute
• knowing
• shrewd
• sharp
• hardheaded
• tough-minded
• canny
• hard-nosed
• clear-sighted
• sharp-witted

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

• theoretic
• theoretical
• speculative
• hypothetical
• conjectural
• alleged
• assumed
• proposed
• suppositional
• supposed
• conceptual
• metaphysical
• abstract
• intellectual
• presumed
• debatable
• unproven
• unproved
• moot
• nonclinical
• untested
• presupposed
• nonempirical
• nonpractical

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• actual
• clinical
• real
• practical
• factual
• concrete
• distinct
• definite
• defined
• empirical
• demonstrated
• established
• observational
• confirmed
• proven
• validated
• empiric
• tested
• substantiated
• attested
• authenticated
• verified
• time-tested
• nontheoretical
• nonspeculative

academic

2 of 2

noun

1

as in academe

Synonyms & Similar Words

• academe
• academician
• teacher
• educator
• pedant
• pedagog
• instructor
• pedagogue
• educationist
• schoolteacher
• preceptor
• didact
• purist
• perfectionist
• critic
• hairsplitter
• quibbler
• criticaster
• pettifogger
• faultfinder

2

as in scholar

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scholar
• bookman
• intellectual
• brain
• techie
• highbrow
• genius
• gearhead
• bookworm
• nerd
• wonk
• weenie
• double-dome
• geek
• dork
• dink
• swot
• grind

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slacker
• underachiever
• lowbrow
• goof-off
• goldbrick

Examples of academic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The board regulates registered professions and creates rules for their professional and academic qualifications and continuing education requirements. —John Aguilar, The Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2024

There are four categories that include academic, career, postsecondary and extracurricular planning. —Madeleine Parrish, The Arizona Republic, 8 Oct. 2024

Noun

Welcome to the Cincinnati Enquirer Student of the Week vote of 2024-2025, honoring excellence in character, arts and academics among high school students from Sept. 30-Oct. 4. —Caroline Ritzie, The Enquirer, 7 Oct. 2024

But her parents were academics and political activists in a country where politics have historically been fiercely secular, separated from the Catholic Church and religion generally. —Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 4 Oct. 2024