as in academic
very learned or educated but inexperienced in practical matters
the governor dismissed his critics at the state university as a gaggle of ivory-towerish goo-goos
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for ivory-towerish
academic
Adjective
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Schools across the Emirates were shuttered for weeks after the war began, shifting students to remote learning, prompting some parents, who CNBC has spoken with since the war began, to send children back to their home countries to complete the academic term at schools teaching in-person.—
Emma Graham,Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026 -
The distinction is more than an academic nicety.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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“Ivory-towerish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ivory-towerish. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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