Meaning & use

nerd

noun·Everyday

A person seen as socially awkward but highly intelligent or intensely focused on an academic or technical interest.

See it in a sentence

He was the resident computer nerd who could fix any laptop in minutes.

She proudly calls herself a self-taught coding nerd who loves solving puzzles.

A note on using this word

Once mainly an insult, 'nerd' is now often used proudly and affectionately by people describing their own passionate interests.

Words with a similar meaning

geek

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “nerd”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.