pedantry
noun
ped·ant·ry
ˈpe-dᵊn-trē 
plural pedantries
1
: pedantic presentation or application of knowledge or learning
2
: an instance of pedantry
Examples of pedantry in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But pedantry and self-consciousness can wreck the pleasures of nostalgia.
—
Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
As always in Davis’s fiction, an almost imperceptible line divides pedantry from precision, enthusiasm from solipsism.
—Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2023
Eventually, the adrenaline of breaking news gave way to a distaste for transactional back-scratching and pedantry of congressional procedure.
—Kara Voght, Washington Post, 4 May 2023
Collage: The Verge And yet, to point all this out seems like pedantry because the image undeniably looks real — for a certain definition of real, anyway.
—James Vincent, The Verge, 27 Mar. 2023
Is this persnicketiness some sort of meta take on LOTR fan pedantry?
—Vulture, 3 Feb. 2022
This isn’t empty pedantry: each path to a public stock exchange has important differences for the company and its shareholders.
—Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 19 Feb. 2021
But all this pedantry misses an obvious clue the United States wasn’t fighting to free Europe from socialism — the U.S.S.R.
—Kyle Whitmire, al, 13 Nov. 2020
And as for that dialogue, how to be witty without being arch, wise without pretension, emotional without sentiment, principled without pedantry?
—Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Feb. 2020
Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
As always in Davis’s fiction, an almost imperceptible line divides pedantry from precision, enthusiasm from solipsism.
—Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2023
Eventually, the adrenaline of breaking news gave way to a distaste for transactional back-scratching and pedantry of congressional procedure.
—Kara Voght, Washington Post, 4 May 2023
Collage: The Verge And yet, to point all this out seems like pedantry because the image undeniably looks real — for a certain definition of real, anyway.
—James Vincent, The Verge, 27 Mar. 2023
Is this persnicketiness some sort of meta take on LOTR fan pedantry?
—Vulture, 3 Feb. 2022
This isn’t empty pedantry: each path to a public stock exchange has important differences for the company and its shareholders.
—Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 19 Feb. 2021
But all this pedantry misses an obvious clue the United States wasn’t fighting to free Europe from socialism — the U.S.S.R.
—Kyle Whitmire, al, 13 Nov. 2020
And as for that dialogue, how to be witty without being arch, wise without pretension, emotional without sentiment, principled without pedantry?
—Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Feb. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pedantry.' 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 pedantry
Cite this Entry
“Pedantry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pedantry. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pedantry
noun
ped·ant·ry
ˈped-ᵊn-trē
plural pedantries
: dull and overly exact presentation of knowledge or learning
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