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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Recent Examples of pedantic
Special shout-out to the writers’ room for giving us a high-tension cold open and then segueing immediately post-credits to the Titan equivalent of a family road trip where Mom and Dad are pedantic geniuses arguing over what route to take to the beach.
—
Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 22 May 2026
They were organized and well led by guides who were always clearly spoken, professional, and responsive to questions (if sometimes a tad pedantic in their fact-sharing).
—Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for pedantic
Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 22 May 2026
They were organized and well led by guides who were always clearly spoken, professional, and responsive to questions (if sometimes a tad pedantic in their fact-sharing).
—Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for pedantic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pedantic
Adjective
-
According to Mercy Fash and Emani Campbell’s emerging scholarly research at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, this intersection is worthy of greater attention because of an exacerbated threat that could severely harm Black women.—
Richard Fowler,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
The women had been close friends while studying for their doctorates some years earlier, but Catherine has since grown resentful of Leonora’s career, and dismissive of women whose scholarly ambitions come before marital subservience.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
Sometimes safe and boring can be a winning strategy.—
Nina Bambysheva,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
The cause can be something as simple as a lack of water or more complex, like fungal wilt diseases, tomato wilt viruses, walnut toxicity, or boring insects.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Camacho was literate in Spanish but not English.—
Robert Polner,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
-
Henry sees the change as an unfair burden to senior riders who are not as technologically literate and low-income residents who don’t have bank accounts to link to the phone app or a credit card.—
Dylan Lysen
June 11,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
This method is particularly useful for larger homes, hallways, and staircases where kneeling repeatedly would quickly become cumbersome or tiring.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
-
The longtime Florida coach swapped a tiring McDonald for Russell Sandefer with one out in the top of the sixth inning.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Your 5th House of Creativity takes center stage as the instinctive Moon squares cerebral Mercury in your 2nd House of Money and Values.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2026
-
By age 18, Davis’s parents had both died within 11 months of each other — his mother, Florence, of a cerebral hemorrhage, his father, Herman, of a heart attack.—
Dan Hyman,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2026
Adjective
-
Agathe finds her boss’s remarks dull, but more or less shares these views.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
-
Dish soap strips away the protective wax and can actually dull or damage the paint over time, leaving it more vulnerable to scratches and fading.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
The human brain is the ultimate existence proof that intelligent systems that are vastly more energy-efficient than today’s AI are physically possible.—
Rob Toews,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2026
-
It was revered for its intelligent satire of modern society and materialism, providing sight gags and slapstick humor for kids while proving relatable for young adults learning to navigate life.—
Skyler Trepel,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
Navy excels at untangling human emotions and picking through them without being didactic or moralistic.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
-
Yet Dupieux doesn’t stage any of this in a didactic or judgmental way.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pedantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pedantic. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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