as in literate
having or displaying advanced knowledge or education
any well-read person would recognize the quotation
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Recent Examples of well-read
Heeding these cryptic words some three decades later, the audacious (and well-read) impresario Tony Wilson opened the Haçienda together with the circle of post-punk musicians and designers involved with his label, Factory Records.
—
Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2026
The nine writers in our workshop were passionate, present, curious, rigorous, and, as a group, well-read across several languages.
—Literary Hub, 15 Dec. 2025
Joe Goldberg, Penn Badgley’s character in the Netflix thriller series You, is a bit of a bibliophile—and Badgley, too, is rather well-read.
—Mathias Rosenzweig, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025
But his shot was tame and well-read by Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2025
The same parents who built our algorithmic economy now limit their own children’s exposure to it, creating a new kind of digital divide—one where being unplugged and well-read are the ultimate luxuries.
—Liz Doe Stone, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2026
The nine writers in our workshop were passionate, present, curious, rigorous, and, as a group, well-read across several languages.
—Literary Hub, 15 Dec. 2025
Joe Goldberg, Penn Badgley’s character in the Netflix thriller series You, is a bit of a bibliophile—and Badgley, too, is rather well-read.
—Mathias Rosenzweig, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025
But his shot was tame and well-read by Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2025
The same parents who built our algorithmic economy now limit their own children’s exposure to it, creating a new kind of digital divide—one where being unplugged and well-read are the ultimate luxuries.
—Liz Doe Stone, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for well-read
Adjective
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My grandmother, who was the only literate one in our family, would write strange musings.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
23 Feb. 2026
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This is a period that some people call post-literate.—
Derek Thompson,
The Atlantic,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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New Orleans, Julian reported, had fewer than two thousand Jewish families—relatively educated, secure, established, Reform.—
Nicholas Lemann,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
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Bad Bunny in 13 minutes both entertained and educated millions.—
Ediberto Roman,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In December, Summers was dealt a lifetime ban from the American Economic Association, a nonprofit scholarly association dedicated to economic research, over his Epstein ties.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Feb. 2026
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In December, Summers was dealt a lifetime ban from the American Economic Association, a nonprofit scholarly association dedicated to economic research, over his Epstein ties.—
Collin Binkley,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Well-read.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-read. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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