ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary Builder›Words›P›pedantic
ISEE/SSAThard
pedantic
overly concerned with minor rules, details, or displays of learning
Synonyms
- nitpicking
- punctilious
- fussy
Antonyms
- informal
- practical
- unpretentious
pedantic in a sentence
The review became pedantic when it devoted three paragraphs to a misplaced comma.
His pedantic lecture on table manners turned a relaxed dinner into a lesson on obscure rules.
Where it comes from
From French pédant, meaning 'schoolmaster.'
Memory hook
PEDANTIC contains PEDANT, a rule-fussy teacher who dwells on minor details.
Read it in context
- The Unsmoothed Voice Narrative