categorical

adjective cat·e·gor·i·cal \ ˌka-tə-ˈgȯr-i-kəl , -ˈgär- \

variants: or less commonly categoric play \-ik\

|Updated on: 7 Jun 2018

Examples: categorical in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of categorical

1 : absolute, unqualified

a categorical denial

2 a : of, relating to, or constituting a category

b : involving, according with, or considered with respect to specific categories

a categorical system for classifying books

—

categorically

play \-i-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See categorical defined for English-language learners

See categorical defined for kids

categorical was our Word of the Day on 07/06/2015. Hear the podcast!

Examples of categorical in a Sentence

He issued a categorical denial about his involvement in the deal.
a categorical denial of the rumors that the celebrities were planning to get married

Recent Examples of categorical from the Web

The curtilage and rental cases were argued on the same day, Jan. 9, suggesting the justices were focused on paring back categorical powers that police have claimed to search vehicles without warrants.

— jess bravin, WSJ, "Police Need Warrants to Search Vehicles at Private Homes, High Court Rules," 29 May 2018
While the exact nature of that conversation remains in dispute, the Redstone entity that controls CBS, National Amusements, has made clear its categorical opposition to any takeover.

— james b. stewart, New York Times, "A Battle for Control of CBS, With Far-Reaching Consequences," 16 May 2018
This is not to say that presenting Bach on the piano is any sort of categorical mistake.

— alex ross, The New Yorker, "The Rebel Harpsichordists," 14 May 2018
Kanye demonstrates the true potential of an artist and how creativity and innovation are gifts that supersede categorical limitations.

— megan armstrong, Billboard, "Meet the Childhood Friends Looking to Gamify the Music Industry With 'World Famous' Mobile App," 27 Apr. 2018
Where there was once no categorical restriction, Glendale will allow only those who qualify as a minor child, spouse or partner under the new rules.

— jeff landa, latimes.com, "Glendale updates, streamlines its Section 8 housing plan," 11 Apr. 2018
Yet Comey’s pee-tape conversations with the president always included categorical denials.

— tina nguyen, The Hive, "Donald Trump Is Obsessed with the Pee Tape," 20 Apr. 2018
Hardly any would offer a categorical endorsement of the President.

— manu raju, CNN, "Trump declared he's running again. Many Republicans aren't ready to back him.," 19 Apr. 2018
The district has yet to receive three of its four annual categorical payments totaling $7.5 million, which cover costs such as transportation, special education and free and reduced-price lunches, Strand said.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "District 204 budget includes more money from state," 3 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'categorical.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

The ancestor of categorical and category has been important in logic and philosophy since the days of Aristotle. Both English words derive from Greek katēgoria, which Aristotle used to name the 10 fundamental classes (also called "predications" or "assertions") of terms, things, or ideas into which he felt human knowledge could be organized. Ironically, although those categories and things categorical are supposed to be absolute and fundamental, philosophers have long argued about the number and type of categories that exist and their role in understanding the world. High-level philosophical disputes aside, the word categorical continues to refer to an absolute assertion, one that involves no conditions or hypotheses (for example, the statement "all humans are mortal").