literary
adjective
lit·er·ary
ˈli-tə-ˌrer-ē 
1
a
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of humane learning or literature
a literary education
a literary institution
b
: bookish sense 2
an essay written in a very literary style
c
: of or relating to books
a literary agent
a literary manuscript
2
a
: well-read
he is literary, given to quoting to himself rather long stretches of remembered lines—
F. J. Hoffman
F. J. Hoffman
b
: of or relating to authors or scholars or to their professions
her literary biographies
Examples of literary in a Sentence
Do his books have any literary merit?
Mystery fiction is only one of many literary forms.
an essay written in a very literary style
The author uses many literary devices in his work.
He entered the literary world right out of college.
She hired a literary agent.
Recent Examples on the Web
In the journalist’s provocative new work, Eve Babitz’s diary-like letters provide a window into her fellow literary titan, Joan Didion.
4.
—The California Independent Booksellers Alliance, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
Around the same time, Ginsberg suggested that Burroughs leave his agent for Andrew Wylie, who had just started a literary agency.
—Ira Silverberg, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2024
In the hip-hop literary world, the closest precedent to De La Soul’s complaint against Moore’s High and Rising may be Paul Cantor’s 2022 book Most Dope: The Extraordinary Life of Mac Miller.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2024
The more Dia — and the reader — navigate the novel's twists and turns around the literary game board, the more questions arise with each puzzle's answer: what is really going on with this internship?
—Felecia Wellington Radel, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for literary 
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.
The California Independent Booksellers Alliance, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
Around the same time, Ginsberg suggested that Burroughs leave his agent for Andrew Wylie, who had just started a literary agency.
—Ira Silverberg, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2024
In the hip-hop literary world, the closest precedent to De La Soul’s complaint against Moore’s High and Rising may be Paul Cantor’s 2022 book Most Dope: The Extraordinary Life of Mac Miller.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2024
The more Dia — and the reader — navigate the novel's twists and turns around the literary game board, the more questions arise with each puzzle's answer: what is really going on with this internship?
—Felecia Wellington Radel, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for literary
Dictionary Entries Near literary
Cite this Entry
“Literary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literary. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
literary
adjective
lit·er·ary
ˈlit-ə-ˌrer-ē
1
a
: of or relating to literature
b
2
: of or relating to writers or writing as a profession
literarily
adverb
ˌlit-ə-ˈrer-ə-lē
literariness
noun
ˈlit-ə-ˌrer-ē-nəs
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share