anecdotal

adjective

an·​ec·​dot·​al ˌa-nik-ˈdō-tᵊl How to pronounce anecdotal (audio)
1
: based on or consisting of reports or observations of usually unscientific observers
anecdotal evidence
health benefits that may be more anecdotal than factual
2
a
: of, relating to, or consisting of anecdotes
an anecdotal biography
b
: given to or skilled in telling anecdotes : anecdotic sense 2
my anecdotal uncle
3
: of, relating to, or being the depiction of a scene suggesting a story
anecdotal details
anecdotally adverb

Examples of anecdotal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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These observations are anecdotal for Los Angeles County, as the department traditionally sets up its mosquito traps at the beginning of March and leaves them out until about after Thanksgiving, Kluh said. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026 Stafford gives an anecdotal example, wherein a mid-sized company churned through three Directors of Sales in two years. Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026 The cultural impact isn’t just anecdotal. Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 25 Feb. 2026 There have been a few studies suggesting that Maurten’s version does indeed minimize GI problems and enhance endurance performance—not a huge body of evidence, but enough to buttress the widespread anecdotal tales of elite athletes relying on it. Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anecdotal

Word History

Etymology

see anecdote

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of anecdotal was in 1715

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Anecdotal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anecdotal. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.

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