as in literary
suggestive of the vocabulary used in books
"fealty" is a bookish synonym for "loyalty"
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Recent Examples of bookish
However bookish my ideal of it, going to Antarctica aligned with my idea of myself as tough, independent, and not old.
—
Cree Lefavour, New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2026
Thomas Harris grew up in the South as a bookish outcast, reading the works of Ernest Hemingway and Jonathan Swift.
—Costa Beavin Pappas, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Travelers who want a base with a bookish atmosphere, where renowned writers crafted masterpieces, and with plenty of cozy corners to dive into a good book, have some page-turning prospects, from London to San Diego’s Coronado Island.
—Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Tatiana, the bookish older sister, is passionately imaginative (Katherine Barkman, deeply intelligent).
—Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bookish
Cree Lefavour, New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2026
Thomas Harris grew up in the South as a bookish outcast, reading the works of Ernest Hemingway and Jonathan Swift.
—Costa Beavin Pappas, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Travelers who want a base with a bookish atmosphere, where renowned writers crafted masterpieces, and with plenty of cozy corners to dive into a good book, have some page-turning prospects, from London to San Diego’s Coronado Island.
—Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Tatiana, the bookish older sister, is passionately imaginative (Katherine Barkman, deeply intelligent).
—Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bookish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bookish
literary
Adjective
-
Her poetry offers a rare collection of literary introspection from within Miami-Dade County government, where Tallman works as chief of staff to a top deputy of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.—
Douglas Hanks
April 1,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
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These six novels, running the gamut from pulp fiction to literary fiction, have something else in common.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bookish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bookish. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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