spherical

adjective

spher·​i·​cal ˈsfir-i-kəl 

ˈsfer-

1

: having the form of a sphere or of one of its segments

2

: relating to or dealing with a sphere or its properties

spherically

ˈsfir-i-k(ə-)lē 

ˈsfer-

adverb

Did you know?

Something spherical is like a sphere in being round, or more or less round, in three dimensions. Apples and oranges are both spherical, for example, even though they're never perfectly round. A spheroid has a roughly spherical shape; so an asteroid, for instance, is often spheroidal—fairly round, but lumpy.

Synonyms of spherical

• circular
• cylindrical
• curved
• globular
• round

Examples of spherical in a Sentence

the planet Earth is not, in fact, perfectly spherical

Recent Examples on the Web

This spherical one checks the boxes for getting that soft, sculptural effect. — Erika Owen, Vogue, 1 July 2026

The engine mounts were closely inspected following the November crash, and going forward the spherical bearings will be replaced regularly, after every 4,000 cycles of takeoffs and landings. — ABC News, 1 July 2026

The facility will also include 50 production lines dedicated to manufacturing spherical micro- and nanodiamond powders used in advanced materials applications. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026

Making Your Seashell Ice Spheres Grab a spherical ice mold, fill it with water, and set your seashell inside. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing spherical

• spherical aberration
• spherical angle
• spherical coordinate
• spherical geometry
• spherical polygon
• spherical triangle
• spherical trigonometry

Rhymes for spherical

• clerical
• anticlerical
• hemispherical
• chimerical
• hysterical
• numerical

Kids Definition

spherical

adjective

spher·​i·​cal ˈsfir-i-kəl 

ˈsfer-

: relating to or having the form of a sphere or part of a sphere

spherically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb