conceptual

adjective

con·​cep·​tu·​al kən-ˈsep-chə-wəl How to pronounce conceptual (audio)
-chü-əl,
kän-,
-chəl,
-shwəl
: of, relating to, or consisting of concepts
conceptual thinking
the project's conceptual and technical hurdles
conceptual designs
conceptuality
kən-ˌsep-chə-ˈwa-lə-tē How to pronounce conceptual (audio)
-shə-;
-chü-ˈa-
-shü-
noun
conceptually adverb

Examples of conceptual in a Sentence

The plans have both conceptual and practical difficulties. conceptual thinking is often the most demanding kind of mental activity
Recent Examples on the Web Take away the teetering conceptual pieces of the book and there’s little that’s distinctive about 3 Body Problem as a science fiction brand. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 Victoria Beckham entered a more conceptual, sculptural design phase that is anything but Insta-baiting. Alice Pfeiffer, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 Redondo also noted that conceptual drawings have been completed for a permanent 3,000-seat stadium at Barnes Tennis Center’s center court, with construction timing to be determined. Glae Thien, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024 In fact, since the earliest days of electronic computing and the Turing test, AI has been part of the conceptual discourse. David Rothschild, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 At the time, painting was allegedly dead (one of its all-too-regular deaths) and the focus was on the conceptual. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024 The Common Council voted in 2022 to keep the complex in its current location, prompting city staff to conduct a feasibility study with a space needs analysis and conceptual design plans for the complex. Bridget Fogarty, Journal Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2024 Led by nine administrators and instructors with decades of industry experience, the inaugural 18-month tuition-free course combines robust technical training with a comprehensive conceptual framework to give students a holistic understanding of watchmaking. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 22 Feb. 2024 And there were also more conceptual works, such as chairs from Martine Syms and an installation/performance by Camilla Carper in which the artist moved the contents of their closet to the gallery. Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conceptual.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin conceptualis of thought, from Late Latin conceptus act of conceiving, thought, from Latin concipere — see concept entry 1

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of conceptual was in 1825

Dictionary Entries Near conceptual

Cite this Entry

“Conceptual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conceptual. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

conceptual

adjective
: of, relating to, or consisting of concepts
conceptually adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on conceptual

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