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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Williams, 46, does not look like a nerd.
—
Brody Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
The obvious choice was Nate Silver, America’s most famous statistics nerd.
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Fortunately for Rake, he got paired with a true research nerd.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Computer nerds who’ve never left their basements and mama’s cooking are trying, and have taken over the sport with useless numbers, or analytics.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nerd
Brody Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
The obvious choice was Nate Silver, America’s most famous statistics nerd.
—Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Fortunately for Rake, he got paired with a true research nerd.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Computer nerds who’ve never left their basements and mama’s cooking are trying, and have taken over the sport with useless numbers, or analytics.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nerd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nerd
Noun
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Segel makes Dan a bitterly perceptive geek, out of his depth but eager to prove himself, while Weaving invests Lisa with a snappishness that only camouflages her pain.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Such comes with a 12-game win streak and computer numbers that make even the geeks party on Broadway.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But then the dream deviates, and takes me to the set of Gilligan’s Island, where Bob Denver, who originally played the part of Gilligan, has been replaced by a bearded intellectual who looks like Karl Marx combined with Cesar Romero, who played the Joker on the original Batman TV show.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Mar. 2026
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More than 400 intellectuals and students had demonstrated against the regime in a Capuchin monastery on the outskirts of Barcelona and were surrounded by police for two days.—
Colm Tóibín,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nerd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerd. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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