1
as in traditional
based on customs usually handed down from a previous generation
the classical preparation of a ham for Easter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in authoritative
being the most accurate and apparently thorough
a writer celebrated for his classical profiles of eminent Victorians
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of classical
The 2010 National Medal of Arts recipient and 2019 Kennedy Center honoree also had a reputation as a bad boy of classical music, once leaving the stage at the Hollywood Bowl to protest noise from a police helicopter.
—
Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Baz Halpin was ready to follow his family into classical music when a Jethro Tull tour changed everything.
—Leena Tailor, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026
Tilson Thomas championed classical masters but also many contemporary American composers and transformed the orchestra’s annual Beethoven festival into an American Mavericks Festival featuring works of his mentors Bernstein and Copland.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
This year’s program is no exception and should especially appeal to classical music lovers as well as Boots Riley fans.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for classical
Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Baz Halpin was ready to follow his family into classical music when a Jethro Tull tour changed everything.
—Leena Tailor, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026
Tilson Thomas championed classical masters but also many contemporary American composers and transformed the orchestra’s annual Beethoven festival into an American Mavericks Festival featuring works of his mentors Bernstein and Copland.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
This year’s program is no exception and should especially appeal to classical music lovers as well as Boots Riley fans.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for classical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for classical
Adjective
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That strategy emphasized heavy diversification into illiquid alternative assets — such as private equity, venture capital and real estate — over traditional stocks and bonds.—
Terry Savage,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
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Additionally, unlike traditional bleaching which tends to give fabrics a flat look, Zero allows marbling.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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We are put in charge of making our own way, through tapestries and tea sets, past ancient jug and contemporary sphinx, without heavy-handed authoritative direction.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
This is the version of Banchero the Magic need; not just productive, but authoritative.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Justin also strayed a little too far from ambrosia salad since his dish didn’t have the customary fluffy texture.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
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Even so, this play, made out of his Christmas Carol, had become a customary performance in Quincy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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These cupcakes are a more approachable way to serve up the flavors of the classic layer cake with a little less fuss.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2026
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His choreography, recreated from his work on the show, delivers big, bold, classic Broadway dance sequences that feel ripped from another era in the best way.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Everybody else was of course taller, but not in basketball’s conventional range.—
John McPhee,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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Unlike conventional carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) systems, which require significant external energy to trap and process gases, the new gas battery converts the energy released during gas adsorption directly into electrical power.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Classical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/classical. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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