variants
also categoric
as in definite
having no exceptions or restrictions
a categorical denial of the rumors that the celebrities were planning to get married
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Examples of categorical in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There is good news in Friday’s Supreme Court decision in United States v. Rahimi: The Court concluded that at least some people subject to domestic violence restraining orders do not have a categorical right to own a firearm, and upheld a law preventing them from doing so.
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Ian Millhiser, Vox, 21 June 2024
Advocates too often refer to cooperation as a categorical good, implying that there is an orchard full of low-hanging fruit just waiting to be plucked.
—Evan Medeiros, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2021
But rather than judge China’s WTO entry in the categorical terms of success or failure, a more productive way forward would be to understand the ways in which WTO membership did lead to positive change within China—and when and why that positive change started to slow and then reverse.
—Yeling Tan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
In December, the president granted categorical pardons to thousands convicted of use and simple possession of marijuana in Washington, D.C., and on federal lands.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for categorical 
Ian Millhiser, Vox, 21 June 2024
Advocates too often refer to cooperation as a categorical good, implying that there is an orchard full of low-hanging fruit just waiting to be plucked.
—Evan Medeiros, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2021
But rather than judge China’s WTO entry in the categorical terms of success or failure, a more productive way forward would be to understand the ways in which WTO membership did lead to positive change within China—and when and why that positive change started to slow and then reverse.
—Yeling Tan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
In December, the president granted categorical pardons to thousands convicted of use and simple possession of marijuana in Washington, D.C., and on federal lands.
—Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for categorical
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'categorical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Thesaurus Entries Near categorical
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“Categorical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/categorical. Accessed 7 Sep. 2024.
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