as in intellectual
much given to learning and thinking
finally, a TV series that appeals to a highbrow audience
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in nerd
a person with strong intellectual interests
guests at her elegant dinner parties are a mix of the city's highbrows and captains of industry
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of highbrow
Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
And well before Telluride co-founder Tom Luddy’s death in 2023, Huntsinger has been flying solo and booking a strong lineup of highbrow awards contenders, classics, and idiosyncratic discoveries.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023
Tár is its highbrow counterpart, teasing and celebrating the same personal crisis and class issues.
—Armond White, National Review, 27 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for highbrow
Adjective
That combination of highbrow admiration and crowd-pleasing shocks is a treasured feat in horror.
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
And well before Telluride co-founder Tom Luddy’s death in 2023, Huntsinger has been flying solo and booking a strong lineup of highbrow awards contenders, classics, and idiosyncratic discoveries.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
The roll call of films ranges from the highbrow to the decidedly grungy, the menu of a true movie fanatic.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023
Tár is its highbrow counterpart, teasing and celebrating the same personal crisis and class issues.
—Armond White, National Review, 27 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for highbrow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for highbrow
Adjective
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McCormick has long been an advocate and supporter of Best Buddies, an organization that champions inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
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The book club has helped replicate the intellectual community that she’s missed since leaving school.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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McClanahan died in 2010 at age 76 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage.—
Ashley Hume , Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Aranda is very cerebral and probably would play well in a strong academic environment.—
Bruce Feldman,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Is this just marketing, or does scholarly research really support such claims?—
Brian W. Stone,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
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Joshi says teachers also tend to be a vocal crowd that isn’t shy about sharing their scholarly opinions.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Highbrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/highbrow. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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