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Synonyms

nerdy

American  
[nur-dee] / ˈnɜr di /

adjective

  • nerdier,
    comparative
  • nerdiest
    superlative
  1. Slang. of or like a nerd.


Other Word Forms

Adjective Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of nerdy

First recorded in 1975–80; nerd + -y 1


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

It’s a full meal in a pint glass, a little bitter, smoky and sweet, with zero in common with today’s nerdy low-cal ales.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

They were part of a close group of friends at St Malachy's College, who Jay affectionately described to the inquest as "very nerdy kids".

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

I found him quirky, introspective, and slightly nerdy.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026

Inflation watchers in the private sector said the BEA move was justified, but they faulted the agency for not giving the public a heads up, even for such a nerdy statistical thing.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

This is the true Elizabeth, in all her nerdy glory.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

If you’re of the nerdier variety, you view all this media as an invaluable resource of important cultural markers.

From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2024

And then, look, I think we’ve had a lot of fun talking about some of the nerdier aspects of this platform.

From New York Times ● May 5, 2023

But by the time the third generation took over the business, guitars dominated, and nothing was nerdier than playing accordion.

From Seattle Times ● May 20, 2022

It’s like a Supreme drop, only a bit nerdier, and you can regularly find 100 Thieves gear being sold for high prices on aftermarket sites.

From The Verge ● Sep. 5, 2019

So we could also talk about our dads, try to figure out which one is nerdier.

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements

No AL team had bunted this often since 2011, meaning the nerdiest organization in the sport has brought back a play that data wonks spent a quarter-century trying to eliminate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

As Regency-era gestures of love go, inaccurate bird impersonations are simultaneously the nerdiest and wackiest.

From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026

Of course, I’d be the weirdo in the crowd wearing my nerdiest James Cameron shirt, a deep-cut reference to “Aliens.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026

The artificial-intelligence investment theme can include a lot of hype about demand, colorful language about the future of work, incomprehensible descriptions of computing power, and technical jargon that would test even the nerdiest of experts.

From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026

But the black girls were the sweetest, smartest, nerdiest kids.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

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