anti-intellectual: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, academic, journalistic. Used in critiques of culture, politics, and education.
Quick answer
What does “anti-intellectual” mean?
Opposed or hostile to intellectuals, intellectual pursuits, rational thought, or the importance of knowledge.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Opposed or hostile to intellectuals, intellectual pursuits, rational thought, or the importance of knowledge.
Describes a stance, attitude, or cultural movement that devalues education, critical thinking, expertise, and the life of the mind, often favoring emotion, intuition, or popular sentiment. Can characterize policies, rhetoric, or periods in history.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar. Possibly more frequent in American political discourse post-20th century.
Connotations
Strong negative connotation in both, implying a dangerous or regressive cultural tendency.
Frequency
Moderate frequency in political science, cultural criticism, and education discourse in both variants.
Grammar
How to Use “anti-intellectual” in a Sentence
[Be verb] + anti-intellectual[Noun] is anti-intellectualan anti-intellectual [noun]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anti-intellectual” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The columnist warned of a growing anti-intellectual mood in public life.
- His anti-intellectual stance was evident in his dismissal of academic studies.
American English
- The politician's anti-intellectual rhetoric appealed to his base.
- Some critics see the trend as deeply anti-intellectual.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in critiques of corporate culture that dismisses research and strategic thinking.
Academic
Common in sociology, political science, history, and cultural studies to critique movements or eras.
Everyday
Uncommon. Used by educated speakers discussing politics or media trends.
Technical
Specific term in cultural and political analysis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “anti-intellectual”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “anti-intellectual”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anti-intellectual”
- Using it to mean simply 'unintelligent' (it's an attitude, not a measure of IQ).
- Spelling without the hyphen (though 'antiintellectual' is sometimes seen).
- Confusing with 'non-intellectual' (which is neutral, not hostile).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's more commonly used to describe attitudes, climates, rhetoric, policies, or cultural movements (e.g., an anti-intellectual trend).
Extremely rarely. Its default meaning is pejorative. Someone might reclaim it ironically, but it almost always carries criticism.
'Uneducated' is a state (lacking education). 'Anti-intellectual' is an active hostility or prejudice against education, intellect, and its proponents.
No, but it's frequent in political discourse. It can apply to any sphere—art, business, education—where expertise and deep thought are devalued.
Opposed or hostile to intellectuals, intellectual pursuits, rational thought, or the importance of knowledge.
Anti-intellectual is usually formal, academic, journalistic. used in critiques of culture, politics, and education. in register.
Anti-intellectual: in British English it is pronounced /ˌæn.tiˌɪn.təˈlek.tʃu.əl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæn.t̬iˌɪn.t̬əlˈek.tʃu.əl/ / ˌæn.taɪ-/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A cult of ignorance”
- “A war on experts”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'ANTI' (against) + 'INTELLECTUAL' (smart people/thinking). It's against smart thinking.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE IS LIGHT / IGNORANCE IS DARKNESS. Anti-intellectualism is 'preferring the dark' or 'rejecting the light' of knowledge.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best exemplifies an 'anti-intellectual' statement?