nerdy

adjective

as in intellectual
much given to learning and thinking a fringe party of nerdy political activists who have no chance of getting elected

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 nerdy She is welcomed by other interns including the warm and fun Tabitha (Shrinking’s Lupita Maxwell) and nerdy Leonard (a funny Daniel Zolghadri), along with the more colorful Daphne (Iris Apatow). — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026 Also, don’t sleep on this relatively strong Mercury for smoothing your travels and adding a dose of nerdy stimulation to your adventures. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 All this should be very exciting for fans who have long known one of their favorite games is still unbelievably nerdy and cheesy, but still wanted to see it in the mainstream. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2026 These polyester fits have also been parodied in video skits, where comedians put on an all-over polyester print outfit, like a wolf T-shirt and galaxy pants, and parody the stereotypical nerdy kid. — Rachel Hale, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 Spider-Man, in his original incarnation, was really just a nerdy teen named Peter Parker who readers could relate to, and the installments starring Holland have replicated that zippy, youthful energy. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026 There will no longer be a need for a nerdy developer with no people skills. — Kiran Kodithala, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 The duo encourages fans to do the same at upcoming shows in New York, Toronto, Chicago, and Los Angeles this fall—like the friendship bracelet’s nerdy big sister or adult DIY Scholastic Book Fairs. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 5 Aug. 2026 But the film overflows with childlike wonder, a comic-strip dream of girls next door and nerdy weirdoes growing muscles with puberty. — Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nerdy
  1. intellectual
  2. cerebral
  3. geeky
  4. scholarly
Adjective
  • There is an intellectual curiosity and a real competitiveness.
    — Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Nerdy, overweight, and hyper-intellectual, Oscar never seems to fit in with his peers and is unlucky in love.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of intellectual
Adjective
  • This becomes clear when, moving on from ephemera, the exhibit turns cerebral.
    — J. Hoberman, ARTnews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The ten 8-10’ stand-alone episodes use cerebral, high-concept horror to tell stories about African women who triumph, overcome and subvert in surprising ways.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of cerebral
Adjective
  • Contemplate standard deviation, a geeky way to measure volatility.
    — Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Just as the geeky navel-gazing threatens to become tedious, a joke or a wink keeps the audience laughing and focused on the fantastical story Schoenbrun actually wants to tell—which isn’t a genuine slasher at all.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of geeky
Adjective
  • The gift will support the expansion of the institution’s Asian art galleries, as well as acquisitions, scholarly research, and public programs on Sri Lankan art.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The money will support acquisitions, scholarly research, and public programming, focused primarily on South Asian and Sri Lankan art.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of scholarly

Browse Nearby Words

nerds
nerdy
Nereid
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Cite this Entry

“Nerdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerdy. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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