variants
also categoric
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
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 filmmaker ultimately sees it as a story about unconditional love.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
To that effect, partners today called for the immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait and respect for the fundamental principles of freedom of navigation and the law of the sea.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
These are the absolute best bonds.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
But this team’s elite farm system — perhaps the absolute top in the NHL — will provide exactly that in the years to come.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
On the Base — the area above the sheer cliffs that encircle Tristan and below Queen Mary’s Peak — a group herds sheep down from the mountain.—
NPR,
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
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What’s harder to recreate — especially with today’s labor and materials costs — is the level of craftsmanship and the sheer weight of the build, Sadek said.—
David Caraccio
April 4,
Sacbee.com,
4 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
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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
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The Easter holiday wouldn't be complete without an egg hunt, and one church in Northern Colorado has a unique way to celebrate.—
Holly Santman,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Eleven months later, the transfer of knowledge is complete, and the girls emerge from the basement, equipped with their new powers, just as their family falls apart.—
Kristen Roupenian,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Categorical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/categorical. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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