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
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Recent Examples of encyclopedias
The cheap paperbacks with yellowed pages, outdated cookbooks, and encyclopedias can be tossed.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
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Outdated sets of children’s encyclopedias that speak in the Voice of Empire.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
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
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Outdated sets of children’s encyclopedias that speak in the Voice of Empire.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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encyclopedias
Noun
-
Editors These workers prepare articles and books for publication, helping writers shape and structure their work and checking for accuracy and clarity.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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Zevin’s novel has been named one of the 100 best books of the 21st century by the New York Times and one of the best fiction books of the last 30 years by the Los Angeles Times.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Noun
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Password candidates came from custom dictionaries with as many as eight words, common keyboard patterns, and cracking rules.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
17 June 2026
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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
Noun
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The concert also mined the catalogs of three of the members of His All Starr Band — guitarist-vocalist Steve Lukather from Toto, vocalist-guitarist Colin Hay of Men at Work and bassist-vocalist Hamish Stuart from Average White Band.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
12 June 2026
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Janski orders a mix of new and old through catalogs.—
John Lauritsen,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encyclopedias.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encyclopedias. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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