as in nerd
a person slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits
a bookworm who prefers reading to just about any other activity
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Recent Examples of bookworm
Boise bookworms broke a personal reading record in 2025.
—
Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
For bookworms who believe reading is fundamental, Mott Haven’s The Lit.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
Founded in 2024, Library Science is an online reading community designed to help bookworms everywhere find their next great read.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
In this tale as old as time, local bookworm Belle (Paige O'Hara) travels to a faraway castle where her father is being held captive by a prince–turned–beastly creature.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bookworm
Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
For bookworms who believe reading is fundamental, Mott Haven’s The Lit.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
Founded in 2024, Library Science is an online reading community designed to help bookworms everywhere find their next great read.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
In this tale as old as time, local bookworm Belle (Paige O'Hara) travels to a faraway castle where her father is being held captive by a prince–turned–beastly creature.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bookworm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bookworm
Noun
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On the surface, at least, all of that would seem to make Karaban entirely ill-suited for Hurley – the orderly, math nerd introvert versus the whirling dervish extrovert.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
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Which, basically, is a GEEK, or NERD, or BLERD (a Black nerd), or FANBOY, or FANGIRL, none of which are used here in any derogatory way, and are generally interchangeable.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Segel makes Dan a bitterly perceptive geek, out of his depth but eager to prove himself, while Weaving invests Lisa with a snappishness that only camouflages her pain.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
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Such comes with a 12-game win streak and computer numbers that make even the geeks party on Broadway.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bookworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bookworm. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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