ac·a·dem·ic
ˌa-kə-ˈde-mik 
variants
or less commonly academical
1
a
: of, relating to, or associated with an academy or school especially of higher learning
the academic curriculum
academic courses
b
: of or relating to performance in courses of study
academic excellence
academic achievements
c
: very learned but inexperienced in practical matters
academic thinkers
d
: based on formal study especially at an institution of higher learning
her academic qualifications
2
: of or relating to literary or artistic rather than technical or professional studies
a region that has both academic and vocational high schools
3
a
: theoretical, speculative
a purely academic question
b
: having no practical or useful significance
4
: conforming to the traditions or rules of a school (as of literature or art) or an official academy : conventional
academic painting
1
a
: a member (such as a professor) of an institution of learning (such as a university)
Both of her parents are academics.
b
: a person who is academic in background, outlook, or methods
2
academics plural, chiefly US
: academic subjects : courses of study taken at a school or college
He has no interest in academics.
Synonyms
Examples of academic in a Sentence
Adjective
She received awards for her academic achievements.
I spent my academic career at one school.
The board set tough academic standards for graduation.
He was offered a teaching job and decided to return to academic life.
His interest in sailing is purely academic. He's not a sailor himself.
He's not very academic, but he's good with his hands.
Noun
The book appeals to academics and to the general public.
He only cares about sports. He has no interest in academics.
Recent Examples on the Web
Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
Some research also suggests that children who are unschooled underperform on academic assessments, particularly regarding reading.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2024
Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2024
In the education setting, students and educators with disabilities have been left behind in academics, support, and accessibility.
—Washington Post Live, Washington Post, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for academic 
Adjective
Raised in the Baptist Church, Miles, a professor of history at Harvard, studied womanist theology in her early academic career and has lately focussed her scholarship on the environmental humanities, connecting ecology with spirituality in careful, creative studies of nineteenth-century America.
—Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
Some research also suggests that children who are unschooled underperform on academic assessments, particularly regarding reading.
—Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2024
Noun
Numerous esteemed academics from a wide array of disciplines in American universities have pointed out that the first truth is the failure of endless negotiations, partial sanctions, and attempts to appease Tehran’s regime.
—Kazem Kazerounian, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2024
In the education setting, students and educators with disabilities have been left behind in academics, support, and accessibility.
—Washington Post Live, Washington Post, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for academic
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'academic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near academic
Cite this Entry
“Academic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/academic. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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