1
as in scholarly
marked by or given to showing knowledge in a showy way
The writing was overly complex and pedantic, which made it nearly impossible to understand for anyone but a specialist. The speech was thoroughly researched and well structured, but too pedantic to appeal to a general audience.
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2
as in boring
causing weariness or lack of interest
I found the author's writing informative but dreadfully pedantic.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pedantic
Sure, Pittsburgh Trauma being a teaching hospital naturally lends to scenes of literal instruction, but too often the show pushes past procedural necessity into something distractingly pedantic, even patronizing.
—
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
If only a pedantic stance could ease Americans’ fears that health care coverage will be out of reach for them in 2026.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
Instead of focusing on the defense industrial base, the upcoming national defense strategy, or preparing to face threats across the Indo-Pacific and Europe, Hegseth talked about fitness tests and haircuts, coming across as pedantic for a room of seasoned commanders, the staffer said.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
Greengrass uses the scene where the bus becomes stationary as an example of conveying feelings without being pedantic.
—Tomris Laffly, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pedantic
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
If only a pedantic stance could ease Americans’ fears that health care coverage will be out of reach for them in 2026.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025
Instead of focusing on the defense industrial base, the upcoming national defense strategy, or preparing to face threats across the Indo-Pacific and Europe, Hegseth talked about fitness tests and haircuts, coming across as pedantic for a room of seasoned commanders, the staffer said.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
Greengrass uses the scene where the bus becomes stationary as an example of conveying feelings without being pedantic.
—Tomris Laffly, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pedantic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pedantic
Adjective
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From the scholarly and enlightened to the tough and intimidating, people of all walks of life and cultural backgrounds love a good, thick face of hair.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Likewise, scholarly exchanges are picking up.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And given all of the drama leading into the event, pretty good marks and a relatively boring draft add up to a win.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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As an interactive greeter, Melody shows how smart AI can turn boring service kiosks into friendly, lifelike conversations.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While tech-literate consumers might navigate the pitfalls successfully, more vulnerable groups—such as the elderly or those less comfortable with technology—are left wide open to errors and exploitation.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
13 Apr. 2026
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The turbulence of the past year brings to mind the sourcing strain of the 2020 pandemic—and the ways companies became more legally literate almost overnight as a matter of survival.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Flimsy nozzles crack and leak, and heavy-duty nozzles get tiring to hold when your garden calls for more watering time than your hands can handle.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Swift herself talked about how tiring the tour was and what her plans for the future were last October on BBC Radio 1 with Greg James.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Her cause of death was determined to be a cerebral hemorrhage, per CNN.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
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For something a little more cerebral, try 2023's Daddio, which might have slipped under your radar.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The same study notes that the hormonal cascade may even dull pain by activating peripheral nerves and autonomic pathways.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
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Expecting dull days and strict rules, the boy instead stumbles into a world of delightful chaos and imagination – where outrageous stories are spun, and a world of wonder, memory and mischief unfolds.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The son of four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, he is viewed as a physical and intelligent defender.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
25 Apr. 2026
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Our interface makes intelligent use of swipes and gestures rather than tapping or dialing.—
David Szondy
April 25,
New Atlas,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Granted, there was a lot to criticize in my writing, which was suffering from all sorts of problems, from structural incoherence to insufficient character development to—yes—didactic heavy-handedness that broke the reader’s immersion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
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Determining how much didactic information is insightful and sufficient, and how much constitutes excessive artsplaining, is a delicate, ongoing challenge for museums.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pedantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pedantic. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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