spherical
adjective
spher·i·cal
ˈsfir-i-kəl 
ˈsfer-
1
: having the form of a sphere or of one of its segments
2
: relating to or dealing with a sphere or its properties
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Something spherical is like a sphere in being round, or more or less round, in three dimensions. Apples and oranges are both spherical, for example, even though they're never perfectly round. A spheroid has a roughly spherical shape; so an asteroid, for instance, is often spheroidal—fairly round, but lumpy.
Synonyms of spherical
Examples of spherical in a Sentence
the planet Earth is not, in fact, perfectly spherical
Recent Examples on the Web
Smooth Hydrangea Named for the texture of their large leaves, smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens) are better known for their enormous, spherical, white flower heads.
—
Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Dec. 2025
Our research differs from other studies in that our model accounts for the spherical shape and radius of the particles.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 12 Dec. 2025
On Monday morning, America’s most spherical awards show overcame presenter Marlon Wayans’s battle with non-English names to announce the nominations for the 83rd Annual Golden Globes.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
The researchers combined the six chemicals into a placenta-relevant PFAS mixture and exposed it to a 3D trophoblast model—an advanced system that mimics the spherical cell architecture of early placental tissue far more accurately than traditional flat cultures.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
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Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Dec. 2025
Our research differs from other studies in that our model accounts for the spherical shape and radius of the particles.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 12 Dec. 2025
On Monday morning, America’s most spherical awards show overcame presenter Marlon Wayans’s battle with non-English names to announce the nominations for the 83rd Annual Golden Globes.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
The researchers combined the six chemicals into a placenta-relevant PFAS mixture and exposed it to a 3D trophoblast model—an advanced system that mimics the spherical cell architecture of early placental tissue far more accurately than traditional flat cultures.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spherical
Cite this Entry
“Spherical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spherical. Accessed 23 Dec. 2025.
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spherical
adjective
spher·i·cal
ˈsfir-i-kəl
ˈsfer-
: relating to or having the form of a sphere or part of a sphere
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