as in dictionary
a reference work that contains information about many different subjects or a lot of information about a particular subject
The school library's encyclopedia occupied much of the bookshelf. an encyclopedia of literature
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Recent Examples of encyclopedia
Little is an encyclopedia of information on other kickers, admiring the approaches of guys like Prater and Carlson and marveling at Aubrey’s astonishing feats.
—
Dan Robson, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
Billionaire Elon Musk, who was once a big fan of Wikipedia, has turned on the encyclopedia, as has White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, and even Wales’ estranged co-founder Larry Sanger, who have all claimed Wikipedia is biased.
—Harry Booth, Time, 9 Nov. 2025
Local artist Talita Swarts is a walking encyclopedia of the African diaspora; guests can take a VIP tour with her through everything from the building’s architecture—the shape of the main atrium was built to mimic a single corn kernel—to individual exhibition pieces.
—Emily Baldwin, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
November 04, 2025 When Wikipedia was founded in 2001, the idea that people around the world could come together to create an accurate online encyclopedia covering virtually any topic seemed far-fetched.
—Harvard Business Review, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encyclopedia
Dan Robson, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
Billionaire Elon Musk, who was once a big fan of Wikipedia, has turned on the encyclopedia, as has White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, and even Wales’ estranged co-founder Larry Sanger, who have all claimed Wikipedia is biased.
—Harry Booth, Time, 9 Nov. 2025
Local artist Talita Swarts is a walking encyclopedia of the African diaspora; guests can take a VIP tour with her through everything from the building’s architecture—the shape of the main atrium was built to mimic a single corn kernel—to individual exhibition pieces.
—Emily Baldwin, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
November 04, 2025 When Wikipedia was founded in 2001, the idea that people around the world could come together to create an accurate online encyclopedia covering virtually any topic seemed far-fetched.
—Harvard Business Review, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for encyclopedia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encyclopedia
Noun
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The supporting cast, including Teyana Taylor, Steven Yeun, Kyle Chandler, and Catalina Sandino Moreno, all get their own assault rifle and dictionary of cop lingo.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
21 Jan. 2026
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Christmas hams, party cocktails, elegant layer cakes, and cookout classics fill the dictionaries of Southern family recipes, but one of my favorites is a simple vinaigrette from my grandmother.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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He will be joined by a full live band and will draw from his catalog of chart-topping hits, along with newer material.—
Holly Alvarado,
Oc Register,
12 Jan. 2026
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The Delia’s catalog was packed with super-cool fits and lots of ‘90s attitude.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Torenberg said her book follows a woman who livestreams her life to raise money for the healthcare costs of her comatose sister.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Open like a book to create 1 large, thin cutlet.—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The role of the smartphone in all of this is a textbook illustration of the concept of moral hazard, or a setup that makes damaging behavior all but inevitable.—
Rand Richards Cooper,
Hartford Courant,
8 Jan. 2026
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Two school districts in the Phoenix area are using a textbook that outwardly appears identical — but contains divergent lessons on recent history.—
Alexandra Hardle,
AZCentral.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encyclopedia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encyclopedia. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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