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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variants
or polymathic
as in erudite
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of polymath
Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 22 July 2025
During the Pax Romana, Vitruvius described an architect as a polymath who uses all sorts of disciplines to make a great building.
—David Sokol, Architectural Digest, 14 July 2025
Fresh off the heels of Anderson’s Dior debut during the men’s shows last week, the Irish polymath plans to reveal the new direction for his label at the Galerie Joseph in the Marais on Monday via a presentation.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 7 July 2025
In the past six years, the creative polymath Devonté Hynes has kept remarkably busy.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for polymath
Adjective
There are more than 30 permanent exhibits, including one devoted to the life and exploits of the German polymath and Jesuit priest Athanasius Kircher.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 22 July 2025
During the Pax Romana, Vitruvius described an architect as a polymath who uses all sorts of disciplines to make a great building.
—David Sokol, Architectural Digest, 14 July 2025
Fresh off the heels of Anderson’s Dior debut during the men’s shows last week, the Irish polymath plans to reveal the new direction for his label at the Galerie Joseph in the Marais on Monday via a presentation.
—Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 7 July 2025
In the past six years, the creative polymath Devonté Hynes has kept remarkably busy.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for polymath
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polymath
Noun
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Kiss messy suitcases goodbye with these genius travel organizers.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Sep. 2025
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Lily King, though, is some kind of genius, because in a scant 250 pages, this book both delighted me intellectually and affected me on a profound emotional plane.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Marty is an erudite man of letters who has long wanted to meet one of his favorite writers.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
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Set at the beginning of the Second World War, this bracing and erudite novel weaves together three ostensibly unrelated plots.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
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MetLiveArts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s performing arts series, will kick off its 2025-2026 season tomorrow night with a program featuring pipa virtuoso Wu Man.—
Jane Levere,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Jorge Luis Pacheco takes the Break room stage Saturday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. Hailing from Havana, Cuba, Pacheco is a virtuoso pianist, singer, composer, percussionist and arranger.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Also spotted hanging out with the aforementioned Romy Mars at the launch of Sofia Coppola’s new Chanel Haute Couture publication, could this be a sign that the band of TikTok-literate offspring is recruiting for its newest members?—
Olivia Allen,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
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Within 50 years, Hawai’i’s 97 percent, almost 98 percent completely literate — the highest literacy rate of any country around the world.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Quantrill, like other prominent Confederates such as the Ku Klux Klan’s first grand wizard, Nathan Bedford Forrest, was mythologized by Confederate sympathizers.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
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Released in 2004, the film follows Sophie, a quiet girl working in a hat shop, who finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Is this just marketing, or does scholarly research really support such claims?—
Brian W. Stone,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
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Joshi says teachers also tend to be a vocal crowd that isn’t shy about sharing their scholarly opinions.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Evolving risks, shifting business models, emerging technologies—especially the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI)—and increasing regulatory complexity require professionals in this field to be agile lifelong learners and critical thinkers.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
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For thinkers like Ratti, the time for stopping or slowing climate change has passed, and the time for climate adaptation is upon us.—
Kate Wagner,
Curbed,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Whether or not that bullishness pays off against Argentina is more or less academic.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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China’s effort to prompt a strong reaction to climate change and a transition to greater reliance on alternative forms of energy isn’t confined to academic research.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Polymath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polymath. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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