1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

intellectualism

noun

Definition of intellectualismnext
as in education

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 intellectualism Jil Sander, with sophistication and new intellectualism, is one of the best collections of this season. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 2 Mar. 2026 In the same way, a Shakespeare and Company tote bag signals intellectualism, while the New Yorker tote bag communicates cultural sophistication. — Kian Bakhtiari, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026 Its popularity is improbable by virtue of its unapologetic intellectualism, increasingly alien in a highly anti-intellectual era. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026 Also, Dustin’s girlfriend is at his level and an equal, a testimony to his airy intellectualism. — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for intellectualism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intellectualism
  1. education
  2. erudition
  3. learning
  4. scholarship
  5. literacy
  6. knowledge
  7. culture
  8. civilization
Noun
  • Sally Hayden’s reportage is always deeply humane, rigorous and challenging, and this new book promises to be an education.
    — Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Its onboard offerings, wide array of itineraries and shore excursions—particularly those that are food and wine-driven—easily combine education, adventure, and good fun.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of education
Noun
  • That kind of cynicism is cheap and facile and masquerades as intelligence and erudition.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Longworth’s deep research, erudition, and spectacularly precise elocution have made the now-indie podcast essential storytelling for cinephiles.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 23 July 2026
Definition of erudition
Noun
  • The company pointed out that there is a natural learning curve and that the tech usually works for most people without issue.
    — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Continuous learning is no longer viewed as a benefit or perk.
    — Mo Husain, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of learning
Noun
  • Some of those same faculty assign grades that can make or break a scholarship or internship, and there is no guarantee that bias won’t seep into a recommendation letter.
    — Jonathan Greenblatt, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
  • By following an idea through scholarship, students can see how terminology shifts, arguments develop, and disagreements emerge, and how their own writing enters that process.
    — Saurabh Anand, JSTOR Daily, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of scholarship
Noun
  • Addressing them is where AI literacy at the leadership level becomes operational.
    — Nacho De Marco, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • This kind of media literacy is increasingly relevant as synthetic voices become more common and more convincing.
    — Will Jones, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of literacy
Noun
  • This means their meaning is easier to guess for someone without any previous knowledge of the gesture or language being spoken; perfect for creating a new language from scratch.
    — Hannah Little, Scientific American, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Losing experienced educators means losing years of knowledge, relationships and expertise that cannot simply be replaced with another name on a classroom roster.
    — Roberto Fernandez III, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of knowledge
Noun
  • Guest speakers are generally informed and enthusiastic, offering lectures relating to the culture and history of the sailing region.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Originally created in 2013 by the late, Pulitzer Prize-winning restaurant critic Jonathan Gold, the guide has become a definitive map to the region’s vibrant food culture and remains one of The Times’ most popular features.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of culture
Noun
  • Buckle up for Seven of Nine exploring a remote cluster of uncanny exoplanets, strange alien artifacts, long lost civilizations, and trippy paranormal anomalies.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • There is no civilization or community in the world that does not need energy.
    — Zev Laine, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of civilization

Browse Nearby Words

intellectual
intellectualism
intellectualist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Intellectualism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intellectualism. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on intellectualism

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about intellectualism

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All