Entry Word: theoretical

Function: adjective

Meaning:

also theoretic

1 existing only as an assumption or speculation <the merits of the new testing procedures are purely theoretical, since no one has ever used them before>

Synonyms conjectural, hypothetical, speculative, suppositional

Related Words alleged, assumed, presumed, presupposed, proposed, supposed, unproved, unproven, untested; academic, debatable, moot; abstract, conceptual, intellectual; nonclinical, nonpractical; nonempirical

Near Antonyms clinical, practical; concrete, defined, definite, distinct; attested, authenticated, confirmed, demonstrated, established, proven, substantiated, tested, time-tested, validated, verified; empirical (also empiric), observational

Antonyms actual, factual, real

2 dealing with or expressing a quality or idea <that's just theoretical thinking and hasnʼt much to do with real life> — see abstract 1