academic 1 of 2

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

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2
as in intellectual
very learned or educated but inexperienced in practical matters academic thinkers who have no understanding of realpolitik

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3

academic

2 of 2

noun

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
Adjective
The Minnesota academic later insulted Kirk's intellect. Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025 Donna, her son Charles Adelson, Charles’ ex-girlfriend and two hitmen have been convicted for their roles in conspiring to murder the 41-year-old Markel, an esteemed academic with expertise in criminal law, in July 2014. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
Please know that our educators and administrators approach this work with professionalism, care, and a focus on meeting both the academic and legal responsibilities entrusted to us. Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2025 Gostin credits her career success to her publications; service and technical awards; large program management experience; and leadership of academic, industry, and government groups. IEEE Spectrum, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for academic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for academic
Adjective
  • Her family has asked for donations for a memorial scholarship or for an educational fund for her children, in lieu of flowers, with donation information available in her obituary.
    Susan Young, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Based on the holistic Waldorf educational philosophy, developed by early 20th century Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, the institution embraces non-violent resistance.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • This is social, political, and intellectual history rolled into one.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
  • What America is experiencing now is the feature presentation, a systematic, full-frontal assault on our nation’s cultural and intellectual life.
    Andrew Weinstein, Time, 24 Oct. 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
  • Defense Priorities scholars argue that the cartels are being falsely equated with terrorist groups like Al Qaeda, and warn of mission creep without clear objectives or legal justification.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • That call is all too real, according to Stephen Schwartz, an independent scholar who has extensively researched the history of America's nuclear command systems.
    Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The study, published on the open-access scholarly article archive, arxiv, has not yet been peer-reviewed.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Check back on the second Monday of every month for a new puzzle built on clues connected to scholarly articles available via JSTOR.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But You fans invested in a theoretical off-screen romance.
    Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The risk for both Milei and Washington is not theoretical.
    Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 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
  • Once asked to describe himself, McMurtry called himself a writer, a screenwriter — and perhaps most significantly, a bookman.
    Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2021

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Cite this Entry

“Academic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/academic. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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