Synonyms of literary

literary

adjective

ˈli-tə-ˌrer-ē 

as in learned

suggestive of the vocabulary used in books

the novel's dialogue is a little too literary in flavor to be entirely convincing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• learned
• intellectual
• academic
• bookish
• scholastic
• erudite
• educated
• formal
• schooled
• belletristic
• highbrow
• pedantic
• eloquent
• elevated
• donnish
• stately
• inkhorn
• majestic
• declamatory
• bombastic
• flowery
• grandiloquent
• pompous
• highbrowed
• towering
• florid
• lofty
• stilted
• high-flown
• highfalutin

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nonliterary
• colloquial
• conversational
• informal
• familiar
• chatty
• unbookish
• slangy
• illiterate

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of literary

Gonzalès has often been described in relation to others—as someone’s daughter or someone’s pupil—and much has been made of the connections that linked her to this artistic and literary milieu. — Sarah Belmont, ARTnews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

These reading habits often reach booksellers through BookTok—an ecosystem of literary influencers across social media. — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Over the years, the property has welcomed diplomats, prominent Charleston families, artists, musicians, actors, and literary figures. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2026

Here are 11 stays from across the Austen adaptation canon to add to your next literary pilgrimage to the British Isles. — Nicholas Derenzo, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026