INTELLECTUALS Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

intellectuals

noun

plural of intellectual

as in nerds

a person with strong intellectual interests discovered that in politics a reputation for being an intellectual was regarded as a liability

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 intellectuals This tradition of forceful anti-American sentiment among European intellectuals went into steep decline after the abrupt end of the Cold War in the late Eighties. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 Katherine Kelaidis argues that figures such as Heather Cox Richardson, Jill Lepore, Joanne Freeman, Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Kevin Kruse have become a new class of liberal public intellectuals, translating the past into political commentary. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026 Childers, an associate professor of history at Colorado State University, said his concern is that, since the late 1970s, conservative intellectuals have pushed to privatize the park even further. — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 During our two-hour lunch, the conversation almost never strayed from his favorite topics, which are Richard Hanania, Richard Hanania’s analysis of politics, and Richard Hanania’s place in the firmament of public intellectuals. — Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026 Christensen was accompanied by retired Homer scholars (often referred to as Homerists), editors, professors, historians and various public intellectuals. — Antonio Ferme, Variety, 18 July 2026 Perched along the Sea of Marmara, the boutique property sits on the largest of the islands, Büyükada, whose Ottoman-era mansions are where intellectuals and aristocrats held court in the 19th century. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 1 July 2026 Beginning in the 1870s, atheism and indifference to religion became popular, especially among younger intellectuals. — David Mislin, The Conversation, 26 June 2026 Founded by Thiel and Auren Hoffman, the invite-only network of CEOs, politicians and intellectuals meets to have small, moderated conversations in confidentiality about the future of tech, according to Axios, which reported the forum’s plans for a DC-area campus last year. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 18 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for intellectuals

Noun

That’s what has kept it from thriving in South Florida for decades, despite early efforts by pioneering plant nerds.

— Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
Daytrippers, suburban hipsters, and tech nerds looking for a break from the city.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 July 2026

Definition of nerds

Noun

Funko occupies a massive physical footprint in a far corner of the convention center at SDCC, the annual pop culture festival that attracts over 130,000 fans and geeks from around the world.

— Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
For aviation geeks or those who simply want to keep track of their plane’s unique flying data and route, squawk codes can be tracked on apps and websites like Flightradar24 and Flight Beacon.

— Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2026