intellectual 1 of 2

adjective

ˌin-tə-ˈlek-chə-wəl How to pronounce intellectual (audio)
Definition of intellectualnext
1
as in cerebral
much given to learning and thinking as the daughter of college professors, she's used to being around intellectual people

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2
as in mental
of or relating to the mind intellectual pursuits such as reading and studying

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in educational
of or relating to schooling or learning especially at an advanced level research that shows that people from very intellectual backgrounds are happiest with spouses having comparable educations

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intellectual

2 of 2

noun

as in nerd
a person with strong intellectual interests discovered that in politics a reputation for being an intellectual was regarded as a liability

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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 intellectual
Adjective
Most surprising, Just Us is marked by a lack of intellectual rigor that often veers close to bad faith. — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026 Its first sessions will include a September program with mushroom spawn producer Sylvan Biotech and an intellectual-property workshop in October. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
For some Muslim intellectuals and travelers, Japan’s modernization and its victory over Russia was proof that Asian nations need not be subservient to Europe or abandon their own cultural traditions. — Mimi Hanaoka, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026 Born in the Soviet Union in 1974, Beloozerov was raised by his mother Lena and stepfather Nikolai Beloozerov, a Soviet dissident and a mathematician, among a community of intellectuals in southwestern Moscow. — Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for intellectual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intellectual
  1. cerebral
  2. mental
  3. educational
  4. nerd
  5. academic
  6. internal
  7. scholarly
  8. highbrow
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
Adjective
  • Gloria Steinem attributed her mother's nervous breakdown before she was born, and her treatment in mental institutions and the workforce thereafter, as key to her interest in social injustices.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • But writing notes by hand requires a more engaged mental filter.
    — Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of mental
Adjective
  • In 1966, the federal government commissioned a massive survey aimed at solving educational inequality.
    — Rund Abdelfatah, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service estimate that up to 18,000 private schools, colleges and other educational institutions nationwide could be affected by the proposal.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of educational
Noun
  • That gives Porsche’s 911 nerds more time to come up with a creative solution to their current hybrid predicament.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The cool part about the idea of video is introducing more people to hip-hop writing outside of us nerds.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of nerd
Adjective
  • Advertisement Unfortunately, some of my academic and clinical colleagues have dismissed this approach.
    — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Hutton said Calumet College regularly sends representatives to the school to monitor it, including its governance system and academic programs.
    — Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of academic
Adjective
  • Mayor Zohran Mamdani said an internal investigation will be conducted and that the body-camera footage will be released to the public.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Mamdani applauded police for stopping the attack but said an internal investigation would be conducted.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of internal
Adjective
  • Both are craftsmen, interested in immediate emotional response over esoteric scholarly unpacking.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Its attribution and history have attracted extensive scholarly attention.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of scholarly
Noun
  • Deadline asks the Festival chief whether Series Mania is focused on the highbrow of the drama spectrum.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Richie Grainge herself has evolved her stylistic approach from an ostentatious Los Angeleno verve into a look that’s more low-key highbrow.
    — Nick Remsen, CNN, 13 Feb. 2024
Definition of highbrow

Browse Nearby Words

intellects
intellectual
intellectualism
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Cite this Entry

“Intellectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intellectual. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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