as in books
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
Related Words
Relevance
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 encyclopedias
Holmquist traces his devotion to history back to age 7, when his parents bought him a set of encyclopedias.
—
Jim Dudlicek, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
Google didn’t have to persuade people that typing a question into a search bar was better than navigating directories or flipping through encyclopedias.
—Ira Belsky, Forbes.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Beginning in 1959, editors put in arduous work toward compiling the first encyclopedias written in Braille, the innovative code developed by Louis Braille in 19th century France.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 20 Dec. 2025
Instead, the eight search results ranged from a general entry about online encyclopedias to seven entries primarily about Wikipedia.
—NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
Outdated sets of children’s encyclopedias that speak in the Voice of Empire.
—Teddy Wayne
september 9, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
Over the years, the team at Locust Grove, 561 Blankenbaker Lane, has seen all types of books come through its doors ahead of the sale — children's books, novels, encyclopedias, self-help books and more.
—Lillian Metzmeier, The Courier-Journal, 18 Aug. 2025
Jim Dudlicek, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
Google didn’t have to persuade people that typing a question into a search bar was better than navigating directories or flipping through encyclopedias.
—Ira Belsky, Forbes.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Beginning in 1959, editors put in arduous work toward compiling the first encyclopedias written in Braille, the innovative code developed by Louis Braille in 19th century France.
—Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 20 Dec. 2025
Instead, the eight search results ranged from a general entry about online encyclopedias to seven entries primarily about Wikipedia.
—NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
Outdated sets of children’s encyclopedias that speak in the Voice of Empire.
—Teddy Wayne
september 9, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
Over the years, the team at Locust Grove, 561 Blankenbaker Lane, has seen all types of books come through its doors ahead of the sale — children's books, novels, encyclopedias, self-help books and more.
—Lillian Metzmeier, The Courier-Journal, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encyclopedias
Noun
-
Heuermann is an avid ready of books and periodicals, Toulon told ABC News.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
-
Visitors can enter through the fly, then sit in the library among books selected by Gone examining tourism, colonization, sugar production and the history of the Caribbean and Latin America.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Although dictionaries are imperfect, their definitions are the result of the rigorous study of word meaning and adherence to the scientific process of lexicography, the practice of writing and editing dictionaries and other reference materials.—
Phillip M. Carter,
The Conversation,
28 May 2026
-
Virginia’s Supreme Court majority sought an answer in dictionaries, which define the word as the act or process of choosing.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The specific regulatory rollbacks Barr catalogs are alarming in their breadth.—
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
In the case of the Legend of Aang, hackers may have had access to Vision Media’s server, which houses catalogs of several movies watched by awards voters for an extended period.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encyclopedias.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encyclopedias. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
