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GRE vocabulary

pedantic

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore P words

excessively concerned with formal rules and trivial detail

In a sentence

Pedantic in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing pedantic in a sentence.

His pedantic corrections of grammar derailed every meeting.

His footnotes were so pedantic that they buried the central insight under qualifications.

Synonyms
punctiliousfussyhairsplittingbookish
Antonyms
casualinformalbroad-minded
Usage & nuance

Using “pedantic” well

Pedantic is always pejorative, mocking an obsession with formal correctness and minor detail.

Common questions

Questions about “pedantic

Pedantic (adjective) means excessively concerned with formal rules and trivial detail
Here is pedantic used in an example sentence: "His pedantic corrections of grammar derailed every meeting." Another example: "His footnotes were so pedantic that they buried the central insight under qualifications."
Common synonyms for pedantic include punctilious, fussy, hairsplitting, bookish.
Antonyms of pedantic include casual, informal, broad-minded.
Pair pedantic with punctilious, fussy, hairsplitting, and bookish in Sentence Equivalence, opposing casual, informal, and broad-minded.
Yes. Pedantic is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

Learn words the way the GRE tests them.

Vocabulary sticks when you meet it in real sentences. Practise these words inside text completion and sentence equivalence questions.