as in genius
formal
someone who knows a lot about many different things
She is rightly regarded as something of a polymath in her extensive knowledge of all the earth sciences.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
or polymathic
as in erudite
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 polymath
Joe McKendrick, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
But Bowery was a brilliant polymath, whose work included performance, live art, dance, music, modeling, television and club promotion.
—Emily Labarge, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Any student of art history could also point to the Renaissance’s polymaths, who mobilized artistic and scientific expertise in their pursuit of discovery.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2025
Few authors have failed to spot the irony in one of the 18th century’s most recognizable polymaths struggling with basic number skills.
—James Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for polymath
Noun
Over the centuries, polymaths — or people knowledgeable in many disciplines — have brought forth a wide range of inventions and discoveries.
—Joe McKendrick, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
But Bowery was a brilliant polymath, whose work included performance, live art, dance, music, modeling, television and club promotion.
—Emily Labarge, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Any student of art history could also point to the Renaissance’s polymaths, who mobilized artistic and scientific expertise in their pursuit of discovery.
—Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2025
Few authors have failed to spot the irony in one of the 18th century’s most recognizable polymaths struggling with basic number skills.
—James Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for polymath
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polymath
Noun
-
London is usually evocative, bursting with creative genius.—
Julian Randall,
Essence,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Marlon Brando — On the Waterfront (1954) So much has been said about Marlon Brando's simmering Method genius during the early-'50s that watching his revolutionary approach to acting now couldn't possibly live up to the hype, right?—
EW.com,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The Buenos Aires Reader, a comprehensive anthology enriched by its editors’ erudite commentaries, captures the Argentine capital’s evolution through contributions in art, food, music, soccer, and much else.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Obsessed, Johanne puts her experiences down on paper and entrusts the results to her grandmother, Karin (Anne Marit Jacobsen), an erudite poet living among packed bookshelves.—
Nicolas Rapold,
Deadline,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Artist’s Muse and Sonic Healer: Alice Coltrane, a jazz virtuoso who devoted much of her life to a spiritual journey, is a beacon for today’s artists.—
Sarah Maslin Nir,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2025
-
Conducted by Ruth Reinhardt, the work featured saxophone virtuoso Steven Banks in his Minnesota Orchestra debut.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Studies have shown that less than 30 percent of the U.S. public is scientifically literate.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025
-
The bottom line: Football and books — the recipe for a more learned and literate America.—
Isaac Avilucea,
Axios,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Manu Garcia is a wizard (and knows about them, too) Manu Garcia came to Sporting KC this offseason after Burns traveled to Greece to meet with him.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2025
-
In addition to overseeing the students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Dumbledore is also a powerful sorcerer, widely considered to be the greatest wizard ever.—
Rebecca Luther,
TVLine,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Do Women Need More Sleep Than Men? Which scholarly pathways in African American history have been an exciting surprise to you?—
New York Times,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2025
-
His scholarly work has been published in academic and management journals such as Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, and California Management Review.—
Christopher P. Blocker,
Joseph P. Cannon,
Jonathan Z. Zhang,
Harvard Business Review,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The initiative costs a one-time $50 fee and aims to help adults who did not complete high school unlock new academic and career opportunities.—
Denver7,
The Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2025
-
National Cares Mentoring Movement provides social and academic support to help Black youth succeed in college and beyond.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
People.com,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Besides offering up some sage knowledge to the team’s young core, Seth Curry’s presence also assists the Hornets in other ways, with court spacing being right at the very top of the list.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Feb. 2025
-
That includes those that are highly-scented such as rosemary, geraniums, sage, and lavender, says Khan.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Polymath.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polymath. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share