adjective

didactic

/daɪˈdæktɪk/ · say it: dy·DAK·tik

intended to teach

In Formal & Academic

intended to teach, often too obviously

In Literary English

In more detail

1. (adjective) designed or intended to teach or instruct

2. (adjective) tending to teach in a way that is annoying or too serious; preachy

Examples

1. The museum created didactic displays with clear labels and educational videos.
2. Some people find his writing too didactic because he always seems to be lecturing rather than entertaining.

How to use didactic

Didactic primarily describes teaching methods or content intended to instruct, but it frequently carries a negative connotation suggesting the instruction is heavy-handed, moralistic, or delivered without finesse. In academic and educational contexts, it can be neutral or even positive; in literary criticism or casual speech, it often implies the work prioritizes lessons over entertainment or artistic quality.

Common phrases

didactic approach
didactic purpose
didactic method
didactic tone
overly didactic

Synonyms

instructive · educational · pedagogical · moralistic · preachy

Opposites

entertaining · amusing

Word family

didactically (adverb) · didacticism (noun)

A common mistake

Learners often use didactic only in the negative sense without realizing it can also be neutral or positive when describing a legitimate pedagogical purpose.

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