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Synonyms

well-read

American  
[wel-red] / ˈwɛlˈrɛd /

adjective

  1. having read extensively (sometimes followed byin ).

    well-read in oceanography.


well-read British  
/ ˈwɛlˈrɛd /

adjective

  1. having read widely and intelligently; erudite

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of well-read

First recorded in 1590–1600

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:

He is an outdoor person, like Rose; has trouble fitting into societal norms, like Rose; and he is an ideal intellectual partner for her, bantering, well-read and ready to engage.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 22, 2026

When Alice Lockey, a well-read lady’s maid to an aristocrat, meets the bookish Charlie, a valet, the match seems meant to be.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 30, 2026

The disturbing thing is that it’s a question whose answer, to any well-read observer, is uncertain at best.

From Slate May 27, 2026

There were a handful of others, but all followed the same pattern of being erstwhile intelligent, well-read people, successful in their professional spheres, who went down the rabbit hole.

From Salon Oct. 20, 2024

He plucked a well-read copy of Face Value out of the bag in front of him and pitched it into the Toss pile.

From "A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff

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