variants also categoric
Definition of categoricalnext

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of categorical Jackson is categorical in his own defense. Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026 With no cup football or match load to hide behind, this was a firm, categorical choice by Farke to make Darlow his first choice and Perri his back-up. Beren Cross, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2026 Psychological distress rarely maps cleanly onto categorical diagnoses. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026 Hegseth has loosely moderated his once categorical opposition to women serving in ground combat roles after years of arguing that women should be excluded from front-line units. Steven Beynon, ABC News, 12 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for categorical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for categorical
Adjective
  • The series poignantly addresses the complexities of teenage struggles, particularly through Justin’s undiagnosed ADHD and Keisha’s experience of trauma, emphasizing the importance of unconditional support and the intersection of mental health with race and class in today’s world.
    Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The limited goal of bringing the regime to heel expanded immediately into its unconditional surrender and potential annihilation.
    Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Arte Moreno and his then team president, John Carpino, were the absolute leaders in advocating that MLB needed to be as financially fan friendly as possible.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
  • The growth was like an absolute vertical learning curve.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Lahav black ballgown with sheer black veil and beaded appliqués throughout.
    Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
  • And the sheer scale is unprecedented.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Styles for men and women are available -- all with Allbirds design philosophy that's clean, modern and perfectly simple -- lightweight, bouncy and wildly comfortable.
    Tory Johnson, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • On April 18, that reverence will look like music, laughter and a line of people waiting for something hot out of the fryer — a simple plate carrying stories from across the world, all landing in one place.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Still, seek balance, not utter seclusion.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • To some umps’ great dismay—and fans’ utter delight—calls are indeed getting overturned, with all the suspense of a Roman emperor deciding on a gladiator’s fate.
    Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • As for the second one, well, your guess is as good as mine regarding a definite answer.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Concrete, the structure’s dominant material, may be a synonym for fixed and definite, but the experience within is inescapably fluid.
    Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • What stood out for me, however, was his total submission to the grating demands of retail politics.
    Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Right now, at this very moment, the total amount of entropy contained within the observable Universe is greater than it’s ever been before.
    Big Think, Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • His likeness, complete with robes and a halo, and sometimes holding an AR-15 or a box of bullets, could be found on T-shirts, prayer candles, gun magazines and other items.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
  • But Lincoln controls the whole tempo, the complete vibe of the affair with her epic vocals, effortless charm, and wonderful instincts.
    Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Categorical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/categorical. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on categorical

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster