1
as in scholarly
marked by or given to showing knowledge in a showy way
The writing was overly complex and pedantic, which made it nearly impossible to understand for anyone but a specialist. The speech was thoroughly researched and well structured, but too pedantic to appeal to a general audience.
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2
as in boring
causing weariness or lack of interest
I found the author's writing informative but dreadfully pedantic.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pedantic
This argument, however, sounds pedantic to me, like a point scored in a debate rather than a real explanation for why some human dramas compel empathy and action and others do not.
—
Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026
If only a pedantic stance could ease Americans’ fears that health care coverage will be out of reach for them in 2026.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
Instead of focusing on the defense industrial base, the upcoming national defense strategy, or preparing to face threats across the Indo-Pacific and Europe, Hegseth talked about fitness tests and haircuts, coming across as pedantic for a room of seasoned commanders, the staffer said.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
Greengrass uses the scene where the bus becomes stationary as an example of conveying feelings without being pedantic.
—Tomris Laffly, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pedantic
Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026
If only a pedantic stance could ease Americans’ fears that health care coverage will be out of reach for them in 2026.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
Instead of focusing on the defense industrial base, the upcoming national defense strategy, or preparing to face threats across the Indo-Pacific and Europe, Hegseth talked about fitness tests and haircuts, coming across as pedantic for a room of seasoned commanders, the staffer said.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
Greengrass uses the scene where the bus becomes stationary as an example of conveying feelings without being pedantic.
—Tomris Laffly, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pedantic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pedantic
Adjective
-
Born to a humble family in the twilight years of the shogunate, Higuchi Natsuko (as she was born) was the fourth child and second daughter of a man with scholarly inclinations, who as a farmer had come to the capital to seek both fortune and rank.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
-
There is a long history of political polemics about the relation between journalism and government, and a substantial body of scholarly research and theory on that relationship.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
If your summer wardrobe is feeling a bit boring or outdated, don’t fret — Amazon just added tons of new styles to its sale section, and my top picks are all going for $10 or less.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
Finally, the institution must be financially boring.—
Christos Korgan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
His stuff is incredibly visually literate.—
Peter Larsen,
Daily News,
27 May 2026
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From red states to blue states, rural regions and urban centers, the coordination challenge is real, and it must be solved intentionally if regions are going to succeed in helping their communities, students, workers, and businesses become AI-literate and ready for the future of work.—
Shalin Jyotishi,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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By combining both the heated air flow of a blow dryer and a round brush in a single tool, this product is much simpler and less tiring to use than working with a separate hair dryer and round brush.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
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Driving becomes less stressful, less tiring, less soul-destroying.—
Brooke Crothers,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Adjective
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Later that day, Mars will enter Gemini for the first time in two years, making the energy busier, faster and more cerebral.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
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All of this creates new pathways between the brain’s neurons, improving cerebral neuroplasticity and preventing neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.—
Alessandra Signorelli,
Vogue,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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But Pace says its AI agents can handle the dull work that insurers typically outsource to massive offshore human call centers.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Many things work in Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed’s favor, distinguishing it from some of the duller comps in the past several years.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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When the heavy lifting of data synthesis and standard analysis is supported by intelligent systems, workers are free to elevate their thinking.—
Glenn Llopis,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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Accelerating technological innovation Beyond software development, BYD is also investing heavily in the underlying hardware required for intelligent vehicles.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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Yet Dupieux doesn’t stage any of this in a didactic or judgmental way.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
18 May 2026
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That’s also in part a function of Paglen’s practice itself, which has long been critiqued for its didactic bent.—
Louis Bury,
ARTnews.com,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pedantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pedantic. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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