as in hardcover
a published work that has a thick paper cover
The store sells both paperbacks and hardcovers.
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Recent Examples of paperback
Being able to pass the time reading without dealing with bulky paperbacks is a major improvement.
—
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026
His latest biography, Mark Twain, will be released in paperback in June.
—Time, 12 May 2026
This week’s Independent Press Top 40 Bestsellers for fiction and nonfiction • The 27 books out in paperback this month • Is satire really dead?
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
The pulpy setup befits a paperback crime thriller but is infused with some self-aware marital satire.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paperback
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2026
His latest biography, Mark Twain, will be released in paperback in June.
—Time, 12 May 2026
This week’s Independent Press Top 40 Bestsellers for fiction and nonfiction • The 27 books out in paperback this month • Is satire really dead?
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
The pulpy setup befits a paperback crime thriller but is infused with some self-aware marital satire.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paperback
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paperback
Noun
-
Before the hardcover came out, publishers engaged in a bidding war for paperback rights and Paramount Pictures showed interest in an adaptation.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
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But the smaller hardcover has the benefit of fitting into nearly any bag.—
Adam Messinger,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
Noun
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His debut novel The Beast was a 2017 Spectator book of the year; his second novel, We Germans, was published in 2020 and translated into six languages.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
Perhaps in imitation of the former occupant—known only through the photographs, books, textiles, and trinkets covering the walls and the floor—Liden sits topless at a piano.—
Erika Landström,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paperback.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paperback. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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