as in literary
suggestive of the vocabulary used in books
"fealty" is a bookish synonym for "loyalty"
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Recent Examples of bookish
Looking for a bookish gift for the readers in your life?
—
Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
For bookish nerds, this game was like catnip.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Nov. 2025
Jennifer’s Body follows two polar opposite best friends, the outgoing Jennifer and bookish Needy (Amanda Seyfried), whose friendship takes a turn when the former embarks on a murderous rampage of her male classmates.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2025
On platforms like TikTok, Instagram, X and Goodreads, bookish users often tout images of impressive titles and aesthetically pleasing reading setups or monthly reading lists with dozens of books already checked off.
—Angela Yang, NBC news, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bookish
Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
For bookish nerds, this game was like catnip.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Nov. 2025
Jennifer’s Body follows two polar opposite best friends, the outgoing Jennifer and bookish Needy (Amanda Seyfried), whose friendship takes a turn when the former embarks on a murderous rampage of her male classmates.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2025
On platforms like TikTok, Instagram, X and Goodreads, bookish users often tout images of impressive titles and aesthetically pleasing reading setups or monthly reading lists with dozens of books already checked off.
—Angela Yang, NBC news, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bookish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bookish
literary
Adjective
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There will also be a calendar and space dedicated to cultural, artistic and literary events.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
4 Feb. 2026
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Located in London’s upmarket Mayfair neighborhood, the city’s oldest luxury hotel, now under the Rocco Forte banner, has long been a haven for literary giants, including Agatha Christie, Mark Twain, and Joseph Conrad.—
Lindsay Cohn,
Vogue,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bookish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bookish. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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