anti-intellectual

adjective

an·​ti-in·​tel·​lec·​tu·​al ˌan-tē-ˌin-tə-ˈlek-ch(ə-w)əl How to pronounce anti-intellectual (audio)
-ˈlek-shwəl,
ˌan-tī-
Synonyms of anti-intellectualnext
: opposing or hostile to intellectuals or to an intellectual view or approach
anti-intellectual noun
anti-intellectualism
ˌan-tē-ˌin-tə-ˈlek-chə(-wə)-ˌli-zəm How to pronounce anti-intellectual (audio)
-ˈlek-shwə-
ˌan-tī-
noun

Examples of anti-intellectual in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But the Library’s decline had begun much earlier, starting with anti-intellectual purges by Ptolemy VIII that predated even the first fire. — Hannah Edgar, ARTnews.com, 27 Feb. 2025 In short, the Trump administration’s populist and anti-intellectual worldview does not map cleanly onto the liberal-conservative ideological divide in the U.S. — Dominik Stecuła, The Conversation, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of anti-intellectual was in 1821

Rhymes for anti-intellectual

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anti-intellectual
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Cite this Entry

“Anti-intellectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-intellectual. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

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