donnish

Definition of donnishnext

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 donnish Much of it is donnish intellectual history, full of interesting but digressive discussions. Jeffrey Collins, WSJ, 5 Oct. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for donnish
Adjective
  • Learning to Engage McMillon has an almost professorial air that’s articulate, polite and exudes competence — but his skill set was honed by long years of experience.
    Evan Clark, Footwear News, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Gabriel has secrets hiding beneath his professorial veneer.
    Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Much as parents have had to educate themselves on phonics, critical race theory, and other pedagogical topics to evaluate what their children are learning in school, parents will also have to learn about AI when choosing a school for their children.
    Jonah Davids, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Washington and Lee has accordingly established a modern reputation for intellectual pluralism and pedagogical excellence.
    Blake D. Morant, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Travelers who want a base with a bookish atmosphere, where renowned writers crafted masterpieces, and with plenty of cozy corners to dive into a good book, have some page-turning prospects, from London to San Diego’s Coronado Island.
    Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Daeron Targaryen Daeron Targaryen, otherwise known as Daeron the Drunkard, is a bookish and melancholy Targaryen prince known for his prophetic dreams.
    Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • As men's wear grew less formal, Woody Allen would stake a claim on baggy khaki and corduroy as the uniform of a tweedy, tightly wound New Yorker.
    Joshua Hunt, New York Times, 12 June 2024
  • Her clothes, increasingly, have a pragmatic femininity, like a number of tweedy bellbottom suits that opened the show, some with vests of blue and coral beads covering the front, or diamond patterns of turquoise and plum sequins on the sleeves.
    Rachel Tashjian, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 Dec. 2022
Adjective
  • At the heart of this debate seems to be both a misunderstanding of the point of scholastic sports and a view, at least by some, that trans girls have an unfair physical advantage.
    Peter Jensen, Baltimore Sun, 21 Jan. 2026
  • In a white paper released in October, the committee recommends moving the men’s game, and perhaps the women’s, from the current fall-only schedule to one that covers the entire scholastic year and culminates in an April playoff festival.
    Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • Jothan seemed agreeably nerdy—less astro-jazzman than small-town postal clerk—but his attempt at reassurance backfired.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Stanwyck proves herself the sexiest of the classic stars, melting the heart of Cooper, whose nerdy demeanor hides his dashingness.
    New York Times, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Donnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/donnish. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

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