ivory tower
noun
1
: an impractical often escapist attitude marked by aloof lack of concern with or interest in practical matters or urgent problems
2
: a secluded place that affords the means of treating practical issues with an impractical often escapist attitude
especially
: a place of learning
Examples of ivory tower in a Sentence
The book was written by some college professor who's spent her entire professional life in an ivory tower.
Recent Examples on the Web
Even colleges and universities, which have been viewed as ivory towers of relative harmony, until recently, have come in for assault.
—
Kenneth S. Birnbaum, Baltimore Sun, 21 June 2024
The Hong Kong that exists below Margaret and Hilary’s ivory tower is a vibrant place brimming with energy but also with personal and political strife.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2024
Of course, there have long been attempts at political interference in academia, with a distrust of elitism smoldering beneath the widespread disdain for the ivory tower.
—Pamela Paul, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
The military today may provide the most accurate depiction of the American people — more diverse than the halls of Congress, more integrated than the ivory towers of academia.
—Kerry J. Byrne Fox News, Fox News, 3 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ivory tower 
Kenneth S. Birnbaum, Baltimore Sun, 21 June 2024
The Hong Kong that exists below Margaret and Hilary’s ivory tower is a vibrant place brimming with energy but also with personal and political strife.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2024
Of course, there have long been attempts at political interference in academia, with a distrust of elitism smoldering beneath the widespread disdain for the ivory tower.
—Pamela Paul, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
The military today may provide the most accurate depiction of the American people — more diverse than the halls of Congress, more integrated than the ivory towers of academia.
—Kerry J. Byrne Fox News, Fox News, 3 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ivory tower
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ivory tower.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Ivory tower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ivory%20tower. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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