as in colloquial
used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing
poems written in a natural, unliterary voice
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Recent Examples of unliterary
The bond between Alice and the spiky, decidedly unliterary Felix might flummox.
—
New York Times, 1 Sep. 2021
Both were born as writers in public libraries—hyper-bright American Jewish urban boys from unliterary backgrounds, encountering the classics on their own, without too much pre-sorting, responding with delight, imitation, amusement, and familiarity.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2021
New York Times, 1 Sep. 2021
Both were born as writers in public libraries—hyper-bright American Jewish urban boys from unliterary backgrounds, encountering the classics on their own, without too much pre-sorting, responding with delight, imitation, amusement, and familiarity.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unliterary
Adjective
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But unlike the evolution of colloquial language, which is largely arbitrary, the evolution of scientific terms must reflect our current understanding of reality.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
23 Sep. 2025
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In a market where there is a colloquial term for consumers who want their spirits bottled at the highest strength possible (proof hounds), this low-strength whiskey is a bold move.—
Chris Perugini,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For such an insistence on democracy, the pavilion is curiously tepid in its politics, save for a kind of vernacular populism and some PBS-esque nods to the Gee’s Bend quilters.—
Kate Wagner,
Curbed,
5 Sep. 2025
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Once again, his use of vernacular and social media address appeared to be mocking the President’s own style.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Long sought-after by fans, Electric Nebraska is the informal title of the album that Springsteen and the E Street Band recorded in 1982 from a collection of demos for his follow-up to The River.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
3 Oct. 2025
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Use just one to three large informal dahlias with smaller additions like spray roses, cosmos, eucalyptus, or larkspur.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unliterary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unliterary. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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