categorically

adverb

Definition of categoricallynext
as in absolutely

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 categorically Opus Dei authorities in Argentina have categorically denied the allegations, which carry potential prison sentences. — ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026 Privacy rules limit sharing info on discipline Federal privacy law does not categorically prohibit universities from sharing a student’s disciplinary history with housing officials. — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026 Decisions rarely happened categorically or in bulk; everything came down to whether the specific thing in front of you—that book, this shop—was good enough to draw you in. — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 Even so, Netanyahu categorically rejected this road map, insisting that there could be no Israeli withdrawal until Hamas was fully disarmed and that Israel remained free to continue military operations in Gaza. — Khaled Elgindy, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026 That isn’t to say that Mark Zuckerberg is less evil than Sam Altman, only that these films — one diagnostic, the other biblical — adopt categorically different perspectives on their subjects, neither one of whom can leave their humanity behind. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026 El-Sayed has since disavowed Piker's controversial statements and ended plans for joint campaigning, but has not categorically repudiated him nor apologized for appearing with him. — CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026 Vargas found that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had exceeded his authority by categorically stopping consular officers from issuing visas based on applicants’ nationalities. — María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Murray said he is not categorically opposed to a data center in Waxhaw, but any proposal would need to be governed by clear rules that account for its effects on surrounding neighborhoods and the town’s utilities. — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 4 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for categorically
  1. absolutely
  2. even
  3. completely
  4. entirely
  5. downright
  6. totally
  7. wholly
Adverb
  • The Nigerian tower made her presence felt early in the game when a Charlotte player went up for a simple put-back only to get absolutely stuffed.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Nothing has been easy, so nothing, absolutely nothing, can be assumed at this stage, Giannis Antetokounmpo or no Giannis Antetokounmpo.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of absolutely
Adverb
  • Surveys have repeatedly shown that Americans don't like the current clock changes, with lawmakers and physicians blaming the regular time shifts for drowsiness, inconveniences and even risks to health.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Here, the Broncos were awarded a short field and the Chiefs didn’t even give themselves the option of putting the game away.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of even
Adverb
  • The 15 mm-wide blade hidden within went completely through his right eye and through his brain, with the tip of the blade hitting the top of his skull.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Like Sir Stirling’s 300 SLR, the McLaren version is completely open with no windshield or side windows—only small glass wind deflectors for driver and passenger were added to deflect the bugs.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of completely
Adverb
  • The streets of central Essen are narrow in the old way, but the buildings are almost entirely postwar.
    — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Flood control and water management districts are funded almost entirely by property taxes.
    — Steve Geller, Sun Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of entirely
Adverb
  • The elf's adventures were already lengthy and satisfying in 2D on the NES, Super NES, and Game Boy, but his debut on the N64 was downright epic.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The piece is an exuberantly hopeful and unabashedly patriotic look at America and its possibilities that seems downright defiant in such a deeply cynical and divided time in the nation’s history.
    — Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of downright
Adverb
  • For Republicans, the flipping of the House chambers throws GOP leadership into uncertainty and means President Donald Trump‘s agenda in his final two years in power will likely be stymied if not totally derailed.
    — Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
  • And if a bedroom overhaul is in the cards, Saatva’s upholstered Halle storage platform bed offers a discreet place to stash extra bedding totally out of sight.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of totally
Adverb
  • Shrunken atoms might allow researchers to pick up on wholly new physics, such as deviations from Newtonian gravity or the existence of particles beyond the Standard Model.
    — George Musser, Quanta Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Rather than accepting that condition as a sad reality, Jesus witnessed the truth that God made man wholly good, in His likeness, and free to experience that spiritual reality.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of wholly

Browse Nearby Words

categorical
categorically
categories
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Categorically.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/categorically. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All