metaphysical

1 of 2

adjective

meta·​phys·​i·​cal ˌme-tə-ˈfi-zi-kəl 

1

: of or relating to metaphysics

metaphysical truth

metaphysical speculation

2

a

: of or relating to the transcendent (see transcendent sense 1) or to a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses

… fleeing from experience to a metaphysical realm …

—John Dewey

b

: supernatural

… fate and metaphysical aid doth seem to have thee crown'd …

—William Shakespeare

3

: highly abstract or abstruse

also : theoretical

metaphysical reasoning

4

often Metaphysical : of or relating to poetry especially of the early 17th century that is highly intellectual and philosophical and marked by unconventional figurative language

metaphysical poets

metaphysically

ˌme-tə-ˈfi-zi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Metaphysical

2 of 2

noun

: a metaphysical poet of the 17th century

Synonyms of metaphysical

Adjective

• theoretical
• abstract
• conceptual
• mental

Examples of metaphysical in a Sentence

Adjective

a metaphysical world of spirits

a work that deals with such metaphysical questions as the very nature of knowledge

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This spiritual, metaphysical, and downright weird show is ostensibly about a nun’s quest to find and destroy the Holy Grail, which will result in the deactivation of the powerful, pervasive AI that gives the series its name. — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2026

As well as playing with the mood of real locales, the new season also allowed for an expansion of the metaphysical space known as ‘The Portal,’ a dreamlike environment which people who have ingested the Blue Angel mushroom are all connected to, and though it, even to each other. — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 25 June 2026

The essay helped stir 20th-century interest in and appreciation for the Metaphysical poets of the 17th century, which included John Donne, Andrew Marvell, and George Herbert. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 June 2026

Instrumental rock music of the kind Horse Lords make—hypnotic, hyper-focused, complex—usually carries a whiff of manifesto, offering a map toward transcendence of some political, metaphysical, or pick-your-variety kind. — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 16 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1887, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for metaphysical

• astrophysical
• biophysical
• geophysical
• psychophysical
• thermophysical
• nonphysical
• physical
• quizzical

Kids Definition

metaphysical

adjective

meta·​phys·​i·​cal ˌmet-ə-ˈfiz-i-kəl 

1

: of, relating to, or based on metaphysics

2

: supernatural sense 1

3

: difficult to understand : abstract

metaphysically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb