as in scholarly
marked by or given to showing knowledge in a showy way
The writer apparently thought using a bunch of inkhorn terms would impress the reader and distract from the severely lacking plot.
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inkhorn
Adjective
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Astrology, a pursuit that hovers in the nebulous space between science and storytelling, is not exactly a robust academic field, and LaFaive had no scholarly studies of Goodman’s life or work to consult.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026 -
Born to a humble family in the twilight years of the shogunate, Higuchi Natsuko (as she was born) was the fourth child and second daughter of a man with scholarly inclinations, who as a farmer had come to the capital to seek both fortune and rank.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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An international collaboration between 17 academic and scientific institutions, The Memory of Darkness, Light, and Ice was nominated in a competitive category against productions from NOVA, National Geographic Documentary Films and Netflix.—
Tarini Mehta,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
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For the Delfonts, who use a tape-recorder to capture this desperate plea, Leonora’s words serve as irrefutable proof that an academic career has failed to compensate for the absence of a husband and child.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Her work — rooted in teaching, scholastic research and mentoring — is continually focused on advancing social, racial and economic equity in secondary education classrooms.—
Larry D. Urish,
Oc Register,
3 June 2026
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The team also captured the women’s scholastic championship.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Yet as time and intellectual capacity move forward, Angie begins to act more independently.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
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Build a culture of intellectual accountability in which employees are expected to interrogate AI output rather than relay it.—
Chris Rosenberg,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Rice cleaners are pedantic and nitpicky.—
Aksha Mittapalli,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 June 2026
-
Special shout-out to the writers’ room for giving us a high-tension cold open and then segueing immediately post-credits to the Titan equivalent of a family road trip where Mom and Dad are pedantic geniuses arguing over what route to take to the beach.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
22 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Inkhorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inkhorn. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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