CATEGORICAL Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

categorical

adjective

ˌka-tə-ˈgȯr-i-kəl

variants also categoric

Definition of categorical

as in unconditional

having no exceptions or restrictions a categorical denial of the rumors that the celebrities were planning to get married

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 In the early days of alcohol taxation, there was less variation in alcohol categories and clearer distinctions between drinks, so the categorical tax approach made more sense. — Adam Hoffer, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 Blanche may have denied before Congress that the weaponization fund was moving ahead, but others have been less categorical, dropping hints that payouts remain in play. — Sarah Fitzpatrick, The Atlantic, 11 June 2026 The measure passed Wednesday stops short of a categorical ban that some have sought, but was still met with cautious optimism by traffic safety reformers. — Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026 The fine points of class-action law were, of course, less influential than Crenshaw’s insistence on paying close attention to the way Black women were treated by the courts, and the essay’s most memorable lines were broader categorical claims. — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for categorical

Recent Examples of Synonyms for categorical

Adjective

Hinckley launched a music career after being granted unconditional release in 2022, but found some concert venues weren’t receptive to hosting his performances.

— Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
In one room, Catherine is getting promises of unconditional love and affection from Alden, a man who would never harm her.

— Erin Qualey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of unconditional

Adjective

The scent wraps rose water, Damascena rose essence and absolute, and centifolia rose in soft, sweet notes of green almond, pink raspberry, and a touch of mauve violet.

— Jenny Berg, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
Stewart, having the absolute time of her life, allows the cool persona she’s cultivated across the modern indie scene to give way to an insecure brattiness that’s wonderfully refreshing.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of absolute

Adjective

Other governments, including the US, have their own rules and disclosure requirements, but beyond the breadth of the controls in China, the sheer number of people affected is striking – and reaches far beyond civil servants.

— Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Just look at the new stand — the sheer size of it shows the club’s ambition.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of sheer

Adjective

The task seemed like a simple one for a digital agent, as the booking form was online.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026
Mungiu refuses to supply easy answers or simple paths to identification in this compelling provocation, which poses unresolvable questions to viewers about our biases and presumptions.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of simple

Adjective

In both cases, there is something at once magisterial and leadenly self-regarding about the melancholic rhythms of Cusk’s prose, with its stiff and stately syntax and its utter impatience with the real vagaries of difference.

— Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
The Carolina Panthers played their offensive starters for three series on Saturday, and the result was an utter flop.

— Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of utter

Adjective

During the height of that conflict, which had 42 days of active combat, the US sent six aircraft carriers to the region from a total fleet of 15.

— Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
For students from outside of Arizona, tuition is more than $35,000 and the total cost of attendance is around $60,000 before scholarships.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of total

Adjective

Craig said construction of the first stage of the Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan was 84% complete.

— Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
But a complete turnover on defense, coupled with nonconference games at Georgia Tech and Northwestern, will lead to another losing season, after which both sides move in different directions.

— Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of complete

Browse Nearby Words

catechumens

categorical

categorically

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Categorical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/categorical. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of categorical

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on categorical

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

balmy

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes