polymath 1 of 2

noun

Definition of polymathnext
as in genius
formal someone who knows a lot about many different things She is rightly regarded as something of a polymath in her extensive knowledge of all the earth sciences.

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polymath

2 of 2

adjective

variants or polymathic
as in erudite

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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 polymath
Noun
Inspired by the German polymath Alexander von Humboldt’s travels in South America and his ensuing argument for the interdependence of all natural entities, the young Church embarked on a nearly seven-month expedition in Humboldt’s footsteps. — Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 13 June 2026 Leonardo was one of history’s greatest polymaths, filling notebooks with designs across a range of disciplines, including flying machines that wouldn't be realized for centuries. — ABC News, 9 June 2026 These restless arrangements—produced by monet, polymath bassist Meshell Ndegeocello, and virtuoso drummer Justin Brown with assists from trumpeter Nico Segal and engineer Chris Connors—push outward. — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 26 May 2026 Lambert's problem was first posed all the way back in the 1700s by the Swiss polymath Johann Heinrich Lambert, who pondered how to find the optimal trajectory between two moving objects. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for polymath
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polymath
  1. genius
  2. erudite
  3. virtuoso
  4. literate
  5. wizard
  6. scholarly
  7. thinker
  8. academic
Noun
  • Especially on offense, where Reid’s genius is undeniable but results have stagnated the last few years.
    — Vahe Gregorian July 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • Cale will always be thought of as a genius even if few listened to, say, 2024’s Poptical Illusion.
    — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of genius
Adjective
  • Prolific author and erudite British import David Thomson has been writing about film for more than six decades.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 July 2026
  • Original host Dave Garroway was an erudite guide who shaped the mix of news, lifestyle and human interest stories that still define morning news programs.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 10 June 2026
Definition of erudite
Noun
  • Jones eventually embraced a broad swath of influences ranging from the inimitable Stevie Wonder to prog-rock virtuoso Keith Emerson.
    — Dave Gil De Rubio, Daily News, 14 July 2026
  • Just two weeks after Bob Dylan guitarist Doug Lancio vanished from the tour and was replaced by jazz virtuoso Julian Lage, Bob Britt — who has played guitar in Dylan’s band since 2019 — has apparently left the group as well.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2026
Definition of virtuoso
Adjective
  • Hitler came to power in a highly literate Germany, but the Nazis took advantage of movies and radio to push simple messages with immediate emotional impact.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 27 July 2026
  • In 1636, when Harvard University opened its doors to train Puritan ministers, administrators assumed that the entering class was highly literate – not only in English, but in Greek and Latin, as well.
    — Austin Sarat, The Conversation, 23 July 2026
Definition of literate
Noun
  • One of the best psych-folk albums of 2026 was made by a beekeeper and a part-time wizard.
    — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 17 July 2026
  • He was nominated for both an Emmy and a second Golden Globe for playing the titular Arthurian wizard in the 1998 miniseries Merlin.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026
Definition of wizard
Adjective
  • Tornau is now working to publish the sermons for the first time in a scholarly edition after nearly two years of research.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
  • Konchalovsky’s miniseries certainly can’t be accused of being a scholarly work, but there is something distinctly Homeric about its tone and the fact that, above all, its goal is to entertain.
    — Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 24 July 2026
Definition of scholarly
Noun
  • Kashmir’s Shaiva Hindu thinkers produced some of South Asia’s most influential texts on consciousness.
    — Peter Dziedzic, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
  • The Sparks need to not hire college wonders — no Cori Close — and enlist some good old-fashioned WNBA veteran thinkers and evaluators and leaders.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Definition of thinker
Adjective
  • The board sets education policy, maintains academic standards, and oversees educational licenses and the accreditation system.
    — Zuri Primos July 26, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
  • The system will be installed at NTHU’s College of Semiconductor Research (CoSR) and used for academic research as well as joint development projects with Taiwan’s semiconductor industry.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
Definition of academic

Browse Nearby Words

polyhistors
polymath
polymaths
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Cite this Entry

“Polymath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polymath. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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