as in academic
very learned or educated but inexperienced in practical matters
an ivory-towered elite that always favors the candidate who is idealistic but unelectable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ivory-towered
academic
Adjective
-
When boys are asked to show up consistently for real people, academic readiness and emotional readiness develop side by side.—
Dr. Liz Doe Stone,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026 -
Meyer studied international relations with a minor in history, and she was named to the PAC-12’s academic honor roll twice.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Ivory-towered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ivory-towered. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
