pedant

as in teacher
disapproving a person who annoys other people by correcting small errors and giving too much attention to minor details They found the professor to be a dull pedant more concerned with the intricacies of punctuation than the craft of writing.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pedant Incidentally, for the pedants out there (WIRED salutes you), technically this is not a jet ski, but a personal watercraft, or PWC. WIRED, 18 Nov. 2023 As knowledge of Greek has become more exotic—the mark of pedants, nerds, and graduates of expensive schools—capturing the barbarism of ancient Greek, and of the ancient Greeks themselves, has become harder. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2023 Want to annoy an investing pedant? Spencer Jakab, WSJ, 13 Feb. 2023 True, big global history is not for pedants and must be selective to remain accessible. Walter Scheidel, Foreign Affairs, 19 Apr. 2022 The highest-energy moment comes when Rob Brydon and David Mitchell have a pedant off about Jeremy Clarkson’s firing. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 1 Jan. 2022 While its sister show Jeopardy is better known as a pedant's paradise (misspeaking or misspelling has long been known to sink contestants), every now and then Wheel of Fortune gets in on the action. Tyler Aquilina, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pedant
Noun
  • This Greenville County School District teacher is no longer employed with the district after having been placed on leave.
    Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Skechers Hands-free Go Walk Flex-relish Slip-ins Among the thousands of reviewers are nurses, teachers, and everyday people who struggle with foot problems from spurs to plantar fasciitis—all singing the praises of these Go Walk Flex-Relish Slip-ins.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Learn from three expert instructors how to showcase your skills, build a stellar reputation, and create a digital presence that AI can't replicate.
    Dr. Sue Varma, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Transitioning to American Standards Manuylov eventually came to work as a snowboard instructor at a resort in Southern California after receiving an invitation from old business partners to change locations.
    Maria Williams, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pedant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pedant. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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