1
as in cerebral
much given to learning and thinking
as the daughter of college professors, she's used to being around intellectual people
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in internal
of or relating to the mind
intellectual pursuits such as reading and studying
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3
as in educational
of or relating to schooling or learning especially at an advanced level
research that shows that people from very intellectual backgrounds are happiest with spouses having comparable educations
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as in nerd
a person with strong intellectual interests
discovered that in politics a reputation for being an intellectual was regarded as a liability
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of intellectual
Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
The video is over six minutes long and doesn't mention any creative or intellectual goals until five minutes and 30 seconds in.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 6 Aug. 2025
Time, 17 June 2025
Call a word a bomb and you out yourself as a Western intellectual, more afraid of an idea than of an MK-84.
—Emily Van Duyne
july 24, Literary Hub, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for intellectual
Adjective
He’s widely credited with creating the intellectual backbone of Trump’s expansive tariff policy and has been a critical voice in support of Trump’s economic agenda since assuming his role.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
The video is over six minutes long and doesn't mention any creative or intellectual goals until five minutes and 30 seconds in.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
Some Brazilians clung to older narratives, while others, including radical Black intellectuals and activists, reclaimed Palmares and Zumbi as symbols of resistance.
—Time, 17 June 2025
Call a word a bomb and you out yourself as a Western intellectual, more afraid of an idea than of an MK-84.
—Emily Van Duyne
july 24, Literary Hub, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for intellectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intellectual
Adjective
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In the case of Earth, premiering Aug. 12, the subjects of artificial intelligence and corporate overreach provide more than enough fodder for cerebral sci-fi horror grounded in the anxieties of 2025.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Aug. 2025
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Michael Cole talked up Gunther’s cerebral nature as Wade Barrett chimed in about the evolution of the modern-day wrestler.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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New security measures come as the Department of Public Safety conducts an internal review of the circumstances that led to a trespasser gaining access to the Capitol.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
7 Aug. 2025
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After winning an internal poll by the GOP caucus, Johnson went on to win the speakership on the fourth round of voting.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
This is the kind of thing that Jenkins, a journalist and prolific documentarian, specialized in: connecting the dots in a way that was insightful, enlightening, fun and pure catnip for cross-pop-cultural nerds.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
29 July 2025
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That distillery is a favorite of many whiskey nerds, mostly for its sourced whiskeys that are blended by Drew Kulsveen and his team.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Dissatisfaction with academic instruction at schools was cited by 72 percent.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
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Unfortunately, while teachers and lecturers may see AI text detectors as an easy and appealing way of avoiding academic misconduct, in reality, these software aren’t 100% perfect.—
Christian Perry,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The narrative might be summarized like this: supernatural Taylor Swift-type kills evil spirits while struggling with her own inner demons.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
8 Aug. 2025
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Pairing this inner compass with an abundance mindset transforms how nonprofits approach both challenges and opportunities.—
Yujia Zhu,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Deadline asks the Festival chief whether Series Mania is focused on the highbrow of the drama spectrum.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
6 Mar. 2025
-
Wagner would be a sleepless highbrow’s favorite; the long, lush, unbroken lines of music share with the white-noise hum of the air-conditioner or the thrum of the painstaking lecture the quality of being absorbing without offering undue eventfulness.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In the interim silence, a sizable amount of scholarly work was churned out.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Aug. 2025
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Either way, the scholarly tendency has been to devalue choice and chance as historical factors.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This definition also includes instance in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity (include due to the influence of drugs or alcohol) or because of age.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Apr. 2025
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The World Health Organization defines burnout as an occupational phenomenon which is characterized by feelings of energy depletion, increased mental distance from one's job, and reduced professional efficacy.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Intellectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intellectual. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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