as in genius
formal
someone who knows a lot about many different things
She is rightly regarded as something of a polymath in her extensive knowledge of all the earth sciences.
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Dissimilar Words
variants
or polymathic
as in erudite
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of polymath
Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
His Netflix comedy, The Vince Staples Show, captures both sides — the creative polymath and the dispassionate observer of life — at once.
—Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Genre-leaping music polymath Jon Batiste, who won five Grammys in 2022 – including Album of the Year – was not nominated in that top category this year.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
Even during his glittering publishing career at i-D, W, and the American, Italian and British editions of Vogue, the fashion polymath remained a stylist and consultant — staging runway shows and even directing a film — such was his London fashion-world reknown.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for polymath
Noun
O’Dell — producer, director, full-time nightlife polymath.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Nov. 2025
His Netflix comedy, The Vince Staples Show, captures both sides — the creative polymath and the dispassionate observer of life — at once.
—Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Genre-leaping music polymath Jon Batiste, who won five Grammys in 2022 – including Album of the Year – was not nominated in that top category this year.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
Even during his glittering publishing career at i-D, W, and the American, Italian and British editions of Vogue, the fashion polymath remained a stylist and consultant — staging runway shows and even directing a film — such was his London fashion-world reknown.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for polymath
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polymath
Noun
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His piece of genius separated the sides entering the 84th minute but during a chaotic finale, the hosts conspired to grab defeat from the jaws of victory.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Sliced bread, the wheel, the wrap dress—some genius was responsible for all of them.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The behind-the-scenes footage of the series, some of it previously unaired, allows viewers to see Walsh’s full range — erudite professor, taskmaster, West Coast offense wizard and comic cut-up.—
Daniel Brown,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
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Aside from long, immersive game drives without another car in sight, the erudite, passionate guides take guests on nature walks or to visit RISE, an innovative research center on site where scientists are using data to inform conservation solutions.—
Jennifer Flowers,
AFAR Media,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Suffused with dread and bathed in reverb, the record captures two virtuosos at their most vulnerable.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
23 Jan. 2026
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And the first half was a virtuoso blend of aggressiveness and controlling tempo from Payton, as Nix had a couple of deep shots to Marvin Mims and Lil'Jordan Humphrey, but also controlled the game with his legs.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
18 Jan. 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
Noun
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For years, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been a wizard at designing blitzes that fool quarterbacks.—
Sam McDowell
February 5,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
-
That was until April 2016, when Universal Studios Hollywood unveiled its own 200-foot-tall Hogwarts castle inspired by the beloved wizard.—
Kailyn Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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
Noun
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What unifies these thinkers is a totalizing and conspiratorial conception of modern liberal politics.—
Laura K. Field,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
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While forming a global network of thinkers, the IPS has developed over the past five years to critically examine the material, discursive, and aesthetic scope of everything that might fall under the heading of postnatural.—
Catherine Taft,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Robb demonstrates excellence in both her academic and extracurricular pursuits.—
Darla Rivera,
Oklahoman,
9 Feb. 2026
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However, the ability to choose an educational environment that truly fits our child has not only improved their academic performance, but also their overall happiness and outlook on life.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Polymath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polymath. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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