as in literati
intellectuals considered as a social class
a presidential candidate who was the darling of the intelligentsia—and very few others
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of intelligentsia
All or nothing For most of the Russian nationalist intelligentsia, Alaska is less a jewel to be recovered than a warning against any concession to the West.
—
Dan Morrison, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Dipping Toes in Populist Waters Mr. Hawley belongs to a conservative intelligentsia that includes Oren Cass, the influential founder and chief economist of the think tank American Compass.
—Robert Draper, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
The Russian intelligentsia had once admired Ukraine, seeing in it the birthplace of the Muscovite dynasty and Orthodoxy.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
The president’s hobbling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and National Labor Relations Board has upset the promoters of his domestic agenda in the intelligentsia, while his Gaza proposal has left many of his neo-isolationist boosters scrambling—or sidestepping the subject entirely.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intelligentsia
Dan Morrison, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Dipping Toes in Populist Waters Mr. Hawley belongs to a conservative intelligentsia that includes Oren Cass, the influential founder and chief economist of the think tank American Compass.
—Robert Draper, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
The Russian intelligentsia had once admired Ukraine, seeing in it the birthplace of the Muscovite dynasty and Orthodoxy.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
The president’s hobbling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and National Labor Relations Board has upset the promoters of his domestic agenda in the intelligentsia, while his Gaza proposal has left many of his neo-isolationist boosters scrambling—or sidestepping the subject entirely.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intelligentsia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intelligentsia
Noun
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The elite receiving tandem of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins gives a lot of teams fits.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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From his latest romance with pop powerhouse Katy Perry to his friendly ties to Hollywood stars and the global elite, Canada’s former prime minister's political star power seems to be more alive than ever.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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They are ruled by a grizzled and sclerotic clerisy that funnels resources to its private army, the terrorist Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).—
Matthew Continetti,
National Review,
24 Sep. 2022
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Democrats and the public-health clerisy denounced President Trump for rushing Covid vaccines.—
Allysia Finley,
WSJ,
4 Sep. 2022
Noun
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The State of Arizona sued the House of Representatives on Tuesday over Speaker Mike Johnson's decision to not swear in Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva until after the government shutdown ends.—
Lauren Peller,
ABC News,
21 Oct. 2025
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Melania offers unprecedented access to the 20 days leading up to the 2025 Presidential Inauguration through the eyes of the First Lady-elect herself.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Intelligentsia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intelligentsia. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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