absolute

absolute

adjective

Definition of ABSOLUTE

1

exercising power or authority without interference by others <Russia's absolute monarchy effectively ceased to be when Czar Nicholas II promised to share power with a legislative body>

Synonyms arbitrary, autocratic (also autocratical), czarist (also tsarist or tzarist), despotic, dictatorial, monocratic, tyrannical (also tyrannic), tyrannous

Related Words authoritarian, jackbooted, oppressive, totalitarian; antidemocratic, antirepublican; high-handed, magisterial; domineering, imperious, masterful; all-powerful, almighty, omnipotent; autonomous, self-governing, self-ruling, sovereign (also sovran); unconditional, unlimited

Near Antonyms circumscribed, restrained, restricted; constitutional, lawful; democratic, republican

Antonyms limited

2

having no exceptions or restrictions <ironing is an absolute bore> <I want the absolute truth>

Synonyms all-out, arrant, blank, blooming [chiefly British], bodacious [Southern & Midland], categorical (also categoric), clean, complete, consummate, cotton-picking, crashing, damn, damned, dead, deadly, definite, downright, dreadful, fair, flat, flat-out, out-and-out, outright, perfect, plumb, profound, pure, rank, regular, sheer, simple, stark, stone, straight-out, thorough, thoroughgoing, total, unadulterated, unalloyed, unconditional, unmitigated, unqualified, utter, very

Related Words authentic, classic, genuine, real, veritable; constant, endless, eternal, perpetual, undying, unremitting; extreme, unrestricted; confirmed, habitual, hopeless, inveterate; extraordinary, frightful, horrible, huge, main, superlative, supreme, surpassing, terrible, terrific

Near Antonyms doubtful, dubious, equivocal, qualified, questionable, restricted, uncertain

3

being entirely without fault or flaw <a formal living room decorated with absolute taste>

Synonyms absolute, faultless, flawless, ideal, immaculate, impeccable, indefectible, irreproachable, letter-perfect, picture-book, picture-perfect, seamless, unblemished

Related Words consummate, expert, masterly; classic, dandy, excellent, fabulous, fine, first-class, first-rate, grand, great, marvelous (or marvellous), prime, superb, superior, superlative, terrific, top, top-notch, unsurpassed; completed, finished, perfected, polished; complete, entire, intact, whole; mint, unbruised, undamaged, unimpaired, uninjured, unmarred, unspoiled; exceptional, fancy, high-grade, special; airtight, bulletproof; accurate, correct, exact, precise; inerrant, infallible, unerring, unfailing

Near Antonyms deficient, inadequate, incomplete, insufficient, wanting; unfinished, unpolished; fallible; blemished, blighted, broken, damaged, defaced, disfigured, impaired, injured, malformed, marred, misshapen, spoiled, vitiated; atrocious, execrable, wretched; imprecise, inaccurate, incorrect, inexact, wrong

Antonyms amiss, bad, censurable, defective, faulty, flawed, imperfect, reproachable

4

free from added matter <absolute alcohol>

Synonyms absolute, fine, neat, plain, purified, refined, straight, unadulterated, unalloyed, undiluted, unmixed

Related Words clarified, filtered; clean, fresh, taintless, uncontaminated, uncorrupted, undefiled, unpolluted, untainted; rendered, tried; concentrated, full-bodied, strong; uncombined

Near Antonyms befouled, besmirched, contaminated, corrupted, debased, defiled, fouled, polluted, soiled, spoiled, sullied, tainted; unclarified; amalgamated, blended, coalesced, combined, commingled, compounded, incorporated, intermingled, intermixed, merged, mingled; conjoined, fused, joined, linked, united; cheapened, doctored, watered-down

Antonyms adulterated, alloyed, diluted, impure, mixed

5

serving to put an end to all debate or questioning <absolute proof of her innocence>

Synonyms absolute, clear, deciding, decisive, definitive, last

Related Words determinate, determinative, dispositive, hands-down, inarguable, incontestable, incontrovertible, indisputable, indubitable, irrefutable, unanswerable, undebatable, undeniable, undisputable, unquestionable; unchallenged, uncontested, undisputed; unambiguous, unequivocal; certain, definite, positive, sure; cogent, compelling, convincing, persuasive, telling

Near Antonyms debatable, disputable, doubtable, doubtful, moot, problematic (also problematical), questionable, refutable; ambiguous, equivocal; controversial, debated, disputed

Antonyms inconclusive, indecisive, unclear