BOOKISH Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

bookish

adjective

ˈbu̇-kish

Definition of bookish next

as in literary

suggestive of the vocabulary used in books "fealty" is a bookish synonym for "loyalty"

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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 bookish There’s no shortage of young women making confessional, wry pop music these days, but Hobert has carved out her own lane with a bookish persona and shrewdly specific lyrics bound in tidy and broadly appealing pop songs. —

Carrie Battan, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026 Anyone who was a bookish child could probably tell a similar story to mine. —

Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026 Discovering nonfiction that reads like a story but keeps the scholarship front and center is the great white whale hunt for bookish adventurers. —

Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 4 Dec. 2025 Looking for a bookish gift for the readers in your life? —

Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bookish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bookish

literary

Adjective

Newman’s experience translating a beloved, atmospheric novel to screen is directly relevant here — balancing a book’s literary identity with cinematic storytelling is no small feat, and her selection suggests Netflix is taking the source material seriously.

— Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
Deep reading is a kind of literary applause.

— Big Think, Big Think, 11 Mar. 2026