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
The pedantic director meticulously oversaw the entire construction, from perfecting the lighting in each apartment to testing the complex drainage system that collected the fake rain.
—
Nathan Smith, Architectural Digest, 9 Oct. 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
Jesse makes a big point of that, because Jesse is a bit on the pedantic side.
—Peter J Reilly, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pedantic
Nathan Smith, Architectural Digest, 9 Oct. 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
Jesse makes a big point of that, because Jesse is a bit on the pedantic side.
—Peter J Reilly, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pedantic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pedantic
Adjective
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The fact that Katherine had been institutionalized may have tainted her scholarly reputation.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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Brown-Grier argued that this knowledge gap is not just a scholarly problem but a governance one.—
Marybeth Gasman,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The boring lunch ends boringly, with the women sipping their champagne in silence, tucking into their salads, and ignoring the commemorative glasses that no one wanted.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
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This sounds like a boring event but the boys turn the act of breaking up ice or sleet sheets from the sidewalk into a hockey-like competition.—
Caleb Harris,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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According to family lore, Henry had somehow circumvented the state’s strict law against educating the enslaved and become literate.—
Eugene Robinson,
The Atlantic,
3 Feb. 2026
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The study contributes to the academic field of ethnomathematics, which identifies mathematical knowledge embedded in cultural expression by prehistoric or non-literate communities.—
Jasmin Sykes,
CNN Money,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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It's been a cold, tiring week, but the light at the end of the tunnel that is a Saturday at Ikea picking out lamp shades is finally within sight.—
Joe Mutascio,
IndyStar,
6 Feb. 2026
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But studies have also shown that consuming caffeine before a mentally tiring task reduces the feeling of cognitive fatigue.—
Katharine Gammon,
Time,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The less cerebral side of life is visible just across the street.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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As for Celebrini, the youngest player on the team, his skill and cerebral 200-foot game should, in theory, mesh well with McDavid.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But all work and no play can make for a dull chief medical officer.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
30 Jan. 2026
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People living in Bridgeville were excited to see dull pavement.—
Chris Hoffman,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In addition, Kravitz regularly serves as an appeal host, supporting nonprofit organizations in raising funds through emotionally intelligent storytelling and crowd engagement.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
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An authority figure might be quite impressed by your speedy progress or intelligent questions.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The film, without proving didactic, untangles the complications of finding appropriate care for someone with her cognitive disabilities, as Emily and Bob struggle with a healthcare system that isn’t set up to support people like her.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
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Davis’ book makes sense of all this without being overly didactic.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pedantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pedantic. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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