as in colloquial
used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing
poems written in a natural, unliterary voice
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Recent Examples of unliterary
The bond between Alice and the spiky, decidedly unliterary Felix might flummox.
—
New York Times, 1 Sep. 2021
Both were born as writers in public libraries—hyper-bright American Jewish urban boys from unliterary backgrounds, encountering the classics on their own, without too much pre-sorting, responding with delight, imitation, amusement, and familiarity.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2021
New York Times, 1 Sep. 2021
Both were born as writers in public libraries—hyper-bright American Jewish urban boys from unliterary backgrounds, encountering the classics on their own, without too much pre-sorting, responding with delight, imitation, amusement, and familiarity.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unliterary
Adjective
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Because back nine is close to backside, and backside is just far too colloquial.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Russ Scholl, a ski instructor at Breckenridge Ski Resort, has published a 133-square grid of funky colloquial phrases for different types of snow.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This eye-catching merger of the vernacular and the global — winding its way into the pavilion with wooden flooring, shelving and displays — will host discussions, performances and, hopefully, more impromptu gatherings.—
Sam Lubell,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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There’s very few vernacular places left in America.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The case underscores the potential risks of informal workplace activities, particularly those involving personality assessments or character comparisons.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
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With those ceremonial notices, an informal countdown begins to the moment that the new pope's identity is revealed to the world.—
Christopher Watson,
ABC News,
8 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unliterary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unliterary. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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