EMPIRICAL Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

empirical

adjective

im-ˈpir-i-kəl

variants also empiric

Definition of empirical

as in observational

based on observation or experience guidelines for raising children that are based on empirical evidence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in verifiable

capable of being proven as true or real a philosopher who does not regard "God exists" as an empirical statement

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 empirical This administrative logic is hopelessly out of touch with the empirical reality of American health care. — David S. Shapiro, STAT, 30 June 2026 These results are the empirical fuel SkyDrive needs to advance its certification process with Japan's Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) and, eventually, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). — Omar Kardoudi june 26, New Atlas, 26 June 2026 General Motors Anderson sees design and human ingenuity falling into three main epochs, beginning with thousands of years of empirical design that saw creators largely mimicking nature, building and testing models, and advancing from there—slowly, expensively, and narrowly focused. — IEEE Spectrum, 17 June 2026 Additional empirical evidence, including examination of the raccoon genome, is needed to know for sure. — Shoshi Parks, Popular Science, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for empirical

Recent Examples of Synonyms for empirical

Adjective

Shi draws on his own family history to examine ageing, domestic violence and intergenerational duty in contemporary China, working in a mode that marries close observational filmmaking with formally inventive cinematic language.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, expected to launch at the end of August, can use its powerful observational tools to see what exists beyond the Kuiper Belt, Brandt added.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 July 2026

Definition of observational

Adjective

But unlike the bunker index, it isn’t published or independently verifiable, leaving shippers to take the number largely on faith.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 17 July 2026
Without a stable, verifiable identity, distinguishing genuine business from noise will only become harder for consumers.

— Sammy Ahmed, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of verifiable

Adjective

America has witnessed a proliferation of voting rights groups with sound justification and demonstrable results, but there comes a point when there may be too much of a good thing.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 28 June 2026
Translate each core value into demonstrable behaviors, hiring criteria, decision-making frameworks and performance expectations.

— Amanda Pascale, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

Definition of demonstrable

Adjective

For now, the technology remains firmly in the experimental stage.

— Elsa Ohlen,Carolin Roth, CNBC, 18 July 2026
Nonlocality, whose experimental verification helped earn the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics, allows distant quantum systems to produce correlations that cannot be explained by classical physics alone.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026

Definition of experimental

Adjective

Cekada is only the third person to be confirmed to lead the agency since the director's position was made confirmable in 2006.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 May 2026
Cekada is only the third person to be confirmed to lead the agency since the director’s position was made confirmable in 2006.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026

Definition of confirmable

Adjective

On their debut album, the Detroit musician skewers social-climbing scene darlings and tackles personal existential delusions over a frenetic blend of post-punk and electro-pop.

— Cassidy Sollazzo, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026
That impulse to speculate about the existential dimension of AI increasingly feels like a luxury, given how thoroughly it’s been integrated into virtually every sector of our economy.

— Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 11 July 2026

Definition of existential

Adjective

The output has to be supportable, reviewable and grounded in information that can actually survive scrutiny later.

— Arun Ramakrishnan, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Claims about artificial intelligence must be technically accurate, operationally supportable, and consistent with the company’s financial results.

— Perrie M. Weiner, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026

Definition of supportable

Browse Nearby Words

empiric

empirical

empiricist

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“Empirical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empirical. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of empirical

adjective

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