NONLITERARY Synonyms: 32 Similar and Opposite Words

nonliterary

adjective

ˌnän-ˈli-tə-ˌrer-ē

Definition of nonliterary

as in colloquial

used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing slang words are usually considered nonliterary

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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 nonliterary Most of the people on this list worked nonliterary jobs before becoming a successful writer. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonliterary

Adjective

That’s the colloquial name for the Salkin House, an 1,100-square-foot dwelling perched on a hillside lot, built for violist Jules Salkin in 1948 by John Lautner, the famed midcentury modern architect.

— Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
The theme uses a colloquial phrase almost like a mathematical function.

— Sam Corbin, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of colloquial

Adjective

For me, a poster, in a Native context, is something that communicates a message through typography, visual language or vernacular language, and is intended to be publicly shown or expressed.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
On the one hand, there’s a fascination with collective joy and the forms of vernacular invention that aspire to it; on the other, there’s an underlying melancholy that points to the inevitability of isolation, an epistemology of loneliness.

— Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of vernacular

Adjective

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay chose Milton Rogovin’s informal, untitled portrait of a beautiful young Buffalo woman from his East Side, 1961-63 collection.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
Second, the agency can issue formal or informal warning letters threatening consequences if a violation is not remedied.

— Todd Spangler, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of informal

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nonliteral

nonliterary

nonliterate

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“Nonliterary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonliterary. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of nonliterary

adjective

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