1
as in geek
a person slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits
was such a nerd in college that she spent Saturday nights at the library
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intellectual
a person with strong intellectual interests
an unlikely romance between a nerd and a campus beauty queen
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nerd
But singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney’s 14th album leans into their back-to-basics side with a collection of tunes by other artists, inspired by these lifelong friends’ shared journey as deep record nerds.
—
Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026
While baseball nerds are busy playing with their analytics, those of us who miss balls to the wall baseball are reminded today that it's been 43 years since Chicago Cubs' Lee Elia let loose with one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, managerial rants in the history of sports.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Caltech is a sort of nerd Valhalla, where brilliant and creative youngsters study and engage in prankish mischief.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2026
Today’s books come in all shapes and sizes, with several indie producers creating high-quality products for proud paper nerds.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nerd
Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026
While baseball nerds are busy playing with their analytics, those of us who miss balls to the wall baseball are reminded today that it's been 43 years since Chicago Cubs' Lee Elia let loose with one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, managerial rants in the history of sports.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Caltech is a sort of nerd Valhalla, where brilliant and creative youngsters study and engage in prankish mischief.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2026
Today’s books come in all shapes and sizes, with several indie producers creating high-quality products for proud paper nerds.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nerd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nerd
Noun
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As played by Justin Theroux, Barnes is clearly inspired by Bezos — and not just because Barnes has undergone a dramatic body transformation from nebbishy tech geek to buff, balding mogul.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
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See video … ASRA NOMANI — Suspect in WHCD operated and lived in an ecosystem that too him from nerdy geek to attacker.—
,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In recent weeks, politicians, activists, and intellectuals have published articles and issued statements warning of Cuba’s humanitarian crisis.—
Carlos Manuel Alvarez,
Time,
24 Apr. 2026
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The purchase seems preordained, given that both Gert-Jan and Corinne, like Pascon and Boccara, are lively and curious intellectuals.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nerd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerd. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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