philosophical

adjective

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phil·o·soph·i·cal | \ ˌfi-lə-ˈsä-fi-kəl also -ˈzä-

variants: or less commonly philosophic \ ˌfi-lə-ˈsä-fik also -ˈzä-

Definition of philosophical

1a : of or relating to philosophers or philosophy

b : based on philosophy

2 : characterized by the attitude of a philosopher specifically : calm or unflinching in the face of trouble, defeat, or loss

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Examples of philosophical in a Sentence

They got into a philosophical debate about what it means for something to be “natural.” He's trying to be philosophical about their decision since he knows he can't change it.

Recent Examples on the Web In Gerwig’s hands, the specific magic of the medium — its ability to reorder the sequence of events, to slow down and speed up, to project memory ahead of experience — becomes a tool of philosophical and emotional inquiry. — New York Times, "‘Little Women’ Review: This Movie Is Big," 23 Dec. 2019 Discoveries about the Higgs boson and successes in cloning human stem cells prompted philosophical and ethical debates. — Harmeet Kaur, CNN, "What Merriam-Webster's words of the year say about the past decade," 21 Dec. 2019 One line of argument in favor of this project was philosophical and aesthetic. — Jean-baptiste Gouyon, Quartz, "A new generation of wildlife documentaries are confronting the climate emergency," 12 Dec. 2019 For all its fart jokes and sight gags, The Good Place belongs to a venerable philosophical and theological tradition. — Matthew Robert Anderson, Quartzy, "“The Good Place” taps into our hunger for second chances and redemption," 27 Nov. 2019 At a deeper level, beyond detailing the shakers, strainers, glassware, and garnishes needed to prepare drinks, Mr. Regan examined the philosophical and ethical questions underlying the bartender’s craft. — BostonGlobe.com, "‘‘The Joy of Mixology’’ sought to raise the job of bartending to a profession built on time-honored standards. The book became a guidepost for the craft cocktail movement that emerged across the country and throughout the world.," 25 Nov. 2019 At a deeper level, beyond detailing the shakers, strainers, glassware and garnishes needed to prepare drinks, Mr. Egan examined the philosophical and ethical questions underlying the bartender’s craft. — Matt Schudel, Washington Post, "Gary Regan, ‘Joy of Mixology’ author who helped lead cocktail revolution, dies at 68," 23 Nov. 2019 Sixteen years later, when Trotter died, Du Bois contributed a remembrance of him to the N.A.A.C.P. magazine, acknowledging their philosophical and tactical differences but also paying tribute to Trotter’s foresight. — Casey Cep, The New Yorker, "The Legacy of a Radical Black Newspaperman," 18 Nov. 2019 My only reluctance here is philosophical, and maybe weak: The guy was great. — The Washington Post, "Chatological Humor (Jan 21)," 21 Jan. 2020

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