lit·er·ate
ˈli-tə-rət 
also ˈli-trət
1
2
a
: versed in literature or creative writing : literary
literate novelists
c
: having knowledge or competence (see competent sense 2)
computer-literate
politically literate
literately
adverb
literateness
noun
1
: an educated person
2
: a person who can read and write
Examples of literate in a Sentence
Adjective
She is literate in both English and Spanish.
What percentage of the population is literate?
The job requires you to be computer literate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alejandra Rojas, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
Today, Ride’s legacy lives on in Sally Ride Science, a nonprofit founded by Ride and O’Shaughnessy in 2001 to inspire girls to become scientifically literate and to draw girls and women into the STEM fields.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 June 2025
Nisha Talagala, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
But unlike the post-Enron era when adding one qualified financial expert sufficed, the AI revolution demands something far more radical: every director must become AI literate, or risk becoming a liability in the intelligence age.
—Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for literate
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Adjective
When the system supports individuals, particularly those who may not be financially literate enough to override their subconscious trauma responses, the outcomes are significantly more positive.
—Alejandra Rojas, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
Today, Ride’s legacy lives on in Sally Ride Science, a nonprofit founded by Ride and O’Shaughnessy in 2001 to inspire girls to become scientifically literate and to draw girls and women into the STEM fields.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 11 June 2025
Noun
In other words, teachers will likely need to be AI fluent to guide students to be AI literate.
—Nisha Talagala, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
But unlike the post-Enron era when adding one qualified financial expert sufficed, the AI revolution demands something far more radical: every director must become AI literate, or risk becoming a liability in the intelligence age.
—Steven Wolfe Pereira, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for literate
Cite this Entry
“Literate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literate. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
literate
1 of 2 adjective
lit·er·ate
ˈlit-ə-rət
ˈli-trət
1
2
: able to read and write
3
: having knowledge or experience in a particular area
computer literate
literately
adverb
literateness
noun
literate
2 of 2 noun1
: an educated person
2
: a person who can read and write
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