HIGHBROW Synonyms: 92 Similar and Opposite Words

highbrow 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of highbrow

as in intellectual

much given to learning and thinking finally, a TV series that appeals to a highbrow audience

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

highbrow

2 of 2

noun

ˈhī-ˌbrau̇

as in nerd

a person with strong intellectual interests guests at her elegant dinner parties are a mix of the city's highbrows and captains of industry

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 highbrow

Adjective

On the Approval Matrix, on this particular night, The Bear is smack in the middle of highbrow and lowbrow, and fully on the side of brilliant, with no hints of the despicable. — Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026 But White also understood that holding children’s literature to high standards did not necessarily demand a highbrow approach. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 12 June 2026

Noun

The roll call of films ranges from the highbrow to the decidedly grungy, the menu of a true movie fanatic. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023 Tár is its highbrow counterpart, teasing and celebrating the same personal crisis and class issues. — Armond White, National Review, 27 Jan. 2023 See All Example Sentences for highbrow

Recent Examples of Synonyms for highbrow

Adjective

Current data show that excessive screen time and overreliance on tools like AI hinder children's intellectual and emotional development.

— Michael Chavira, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Either way, the momentum continues the following day when Mercury meets with Uranus retrograde in Gemini, offering a surge of intellectual clarity on the heels of that Neptunian fog.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of intellectual

Adjective

If fluid starts pooling in your lungs (known as high-altitude pulmonary edema) or in your brain (high-altitude cerebral edema), get medical attention as soon as possible.

— Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026
Japan has selected Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s luminously cerebral French-language feature All of a Sudden as its submission for the best international feature category at the 99th Academy Awards.

— Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of cerebral

Browse Nearby Words

highbred

highbrow

highbrowed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Highbrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/highbrow. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of highbrow

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes