ideational

adjective

ide·​a·​tion·​al ˌī-dē-ˈā-sh(ə-)nəl 

: of, relating to, or produced by ideation

broadly : of or relating to ideas

ideationally adverb

Synonyms of ideational

• theoretical
• metaphysical
• conceptual
• abstract
• mental
• intellectual

Examples of ideational in a Sentence

ideograms are ideational—they are meant to suggest some general idea and not a particular word or phrase

Recent Examples on the Web

Constructivists’ major argument is that world politics is as much ideational as material and that relations among states depend on norms as much as on military or economic power. —Stacie E. Goddard, Foreign Affairs, 31 Oct. 2025

These ideational shifts, influenced by both global narratives and local aspirations, are increasingly shaping how Indians approach relationships. —Anuradha Gupta, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

The ideational content of the image — a man killing another man on a public sidewalk — is only half the message. —F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025

This process, which Doten-Snitker and her coauthors term ideational diffusion, often took many years as people in towns and cities needed time to digest new ideas about witchcraft and turn them into behavior. —Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2024

Steven Spielberg extends Griffith’s and Ford’s historical insight through an astonishing mix of visual and ideational dialectics. —Armond White, National Review, 28 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ideational

• aspirational
• avocational
• calculational
• combinational
• computational
• conformational
• confrontational
• congregational
• conversational
• correlational
• deformational
• derivational

Medical Definition

ideational

adjective

ide·​a·​tion·​al -shnəl, -shən-ᵊl 

: of, relating to, or produced by ideation

broadly : consisting of or referring to ideas or thoughts of objects not immediately present to the senses

ideationally

-ē 

adverb