ivory-tower

adjective

Definition of ivory-towernext
as in academic
very learned or educated but inexperienced in practical matters a large public university that needs as its president not some ivory-tower intellectual but a skilled administrator

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ivory-tower
academic
Adjective
  • The experts, who had all studied AI in academic settings, all brought up the ironies of the automation problem, where AI makes errors that humans can’t catch.
    — Adam Clark Estes, Vox, 16 Oct. 2026
  • His main issues are declining enrollment, academic struggles, teacher turnover and family engagement.
    — Sophia Veneziano, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of academic
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.

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itty-bitty
ivory-tower
ivory-towered
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Cite this Entry

“Ivory-tower.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ivory-tower. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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