as in literate
having or displaying advanced knowledge or education
any well-read person would recognize the quotation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of well-read
Open-minded, passionate, forthright and brave, Eva is well-educated, well-read, adventurous, generous of spirit, a world-traveler.
—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
Grandma Bobby is well-read and well-traveled, glamorous and opinionated (speaking of usually-right old women), the old-school, no-nonsense daughter of a girl who walked out of a pogrom and emigrated to New York.
—
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
The stars were well-read and well-spoken, and academically motivated, some graduating in three years.
—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Heeding these cryptic words some three decades later, the audacious (and well-read) impresario Tony Wilson opened the Haçienda together with the circle of post-punk musicians and designers involved with his label, Factory Records.
—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
9 Jan. 2026
The same parents who built our algorithmic economy now limit their own children’s exposure to it, creating a new kind of digital divide—one where being unplugged and well-read are the ultimate luxuries.
—
Liz Doe Stone,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
Grandma Bobby is well-read and well-traveled, glamorous and opinionated (speaking of usually-right old women), the old-school, no-nonsense daughter of a girl who walked out of a pogrom and emigrated to New York.
—
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
The stars were well-read and well-spoken, and academically motivated, some graduating in three years.
—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Heeding these cryptic words some three decades later, the audacious (and well-read) impresario Tony Wilson opened the Haçienda together with the circle of post-punk musicians and designers involved with his label, Factory Records.
—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
9 Jan. 2026
The same parents who built our algorithmic economy now limit their own children’s exposure to it, creating a new kind of digital divide—one where being unplugged and well-read are the ultimate luxuries.
—
Liz Doe Stone,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for well-read
Adjective
-
What the novels of William Faulkner and Ralph Ellison reveal about the soul of America • How Lewis and Clark invented the Western • Is Minneapolis the most literate city in America?
-
Originally, standard German would have served for writing purposes, for the limited number who were literate, but English slowly replaced it.
Adjective
-
The anti-Trump rage, the surge of younger, more educated progressive voters, the hunger for someone willing to fight on affordability with policy, message, and tone, in Albany and Washington — all of it was hiding in plain sight for anyone looking at the data rather than the tired, old playbook.
-
Also, the participants who volunteered for the study were generally healthier, more educated and more often female than the general French population, the researchers noted.
Adjective
-
He was honored as a Distinguished Fellow by the same organization for his scholarly contributions to the field of regional science, according to his obituary.
-
Miami Circle gets historic recognition Carr and other experts, with the support of Ryan Wheeler, then the state’s chief of archaeology, built a case that gradually came to mainstream scientific and scholarly acceptance.
Cite this Entry
“Well-read.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-read. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
