1
a
: one that reads
a magazine with three million readers
b
: one appointed to read to others: such as
(1)
: lector
(2)
: one chosen to read aloud selected material in a Christian Science church or society
c(1)
(2)
: one who evaluates manuscripts
(3)
: one who reads periodical literature to discover items of special interest or value
d
: an employee who reads and records the indications of meters
e
: a teacher's assistant who reads and marks student papers
2
British
: one who reads lectures or expounds subjects to students
3
a
: a device for projecting a readable image of a transparency
b
: an electronic device that can display text (as that of a book or magazine)
c
: an electronic device that scans coded information (as on credit cards or bar codes) for storage or computation
5
readers plural
: eyeglasses used for reading or close work : reading glasses
Gilda came back with a pair of readers and, looking through her glasses, gave my eyelids serious consideration.—
Jeanne Ray
Jeanne RayExamples of reader in a Sentence
The book's ending leaves readers to draw their own conclusions.
a magazine with three million readers
Recent Examples on the Web
My professors there were gifted close readers.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
At nearly the same time, book trailers were going to be the new visual medium that would captivate readers who might not otherwise be familiar with the book.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
This week's Far-Flung Postcard takes readers to London, where NPR's Vincent Ni strolled along the National Covid Memorial Wall during a recent trip.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
Cellphone records, surveillance footage and license plate reader data showed several suspects traveled together from Memphis to Dallas in the days leading up to the incident and stayed overnight at a Dallas hotel after the robbery.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reader
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Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
At nearly the same time, book trailers were going to be the new visual medium that would captivate readers who might not otherwise be familiar with the book.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
This week's Far-Flung Postcard takes readers to London, where NPR's Vincent Ni strolled along the National Covid Memorial Wall during a recent trip.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
Cellphone records, surveillance footage and license plate reader data showed several suspects traveled together from Memphis to Dallas in the days leading up to the incident and stayed overnight at a Dallas hotel after the robbery.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reader
Cite this Entry
“Reader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reader. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reader
noun
read·er
ˈrēd-ər 
1
: a person who reads
2
a
: a device that makes a readable image
a microfilm reader
b
: a machine for acquiring data (as for a computer)
a card reader
3
: a book for learning or practicing reading
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