empirical

adjective

im-ˈpir-i-kəl How to pronounce empirical (audio)
variants also empiric
Definition of empiricalnext
1
as in observational
based on observation or experience guidelines for raising children that are based on empirical evidence

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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 But extrapolating from limited empirical studies paints a grim picture. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 July 2026 When the director of a passion play offered to nail Bautista to a cross in the name of empirical authenticity, the anthropologist declined. — H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 10 July 2026 While there have been many lawsuits and much news reporting, there has been little empirical research testing whether a concentration in treatment centers are tied to a significant increase in overdoses in the area, the report said. — Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 5 July 2026 The surge also did considerable damage to the buildings within the surge zone, 85% of which were residential buildings, according to New York University's Furman Center, an empirical research institution. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for empirical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for empirical
  1. observational
  2. verifiable
  3. objective
  4. demonstrable
  5. experimental
  6. confirmable
  7. existential
  8. supportable
Adjective
  • Total solar eclipses have driven major scientific breakthroughs for more than a century, most famously providing one of the first observational tests of Einstein’s general theory of relativity in 1919.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Because this was an observational study, women who used estrogen may have differed from nonusers in unmeasured ways, including baseline health or frequency of doctor visits.
    — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of observational
Adjective
  • Each true story brings a different minefield to navigate in terms of what’s verifiable information, what’s unknown and the varying public sentiments.
    — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 16 Aug. 2026
  • But the bill would not expressly require a verifiable evidence chain across the different systems involved, from when a user initiates a task to the final outcome.
    — Aashis Luitel, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of verifiable
Adjective
  • Several conditions produce dynamic disability, and each has objective diagnostic criteria.
    — Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • When the work environment shifts in ways that make objective judgment harder to offer, that intertwining starts to come apart.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of objective
Adjective
  • The article highlights how the digital age and creator economy have rendered traditional qualifications insufficient, shifting value from scarce degrees to demonstrable skills and personal branding.
    — Alli Kushner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of demonstrable
Adjective
  • What starts as a reasonable desire to prevent disease can escalate into constant testing and rigid routines built around an ever-growing roster of supplements and experimental remedies.
    — John Vorwald, Robb Report, 16 Aug. 2026
  • After the experimental procedure, John missed the entire 1975 season before returning to the big leagues and pitching all the way through the 1989 season.
    — Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of experimental
Adjective
  • Binding it all together is the chain-of-custody record that includes every handoff between teams, vendors and systems, with verification signatures that make each component's provenance independently confirmable.
    — Akash Pugalia, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of confirmable
Adjective
  • Autoworkers initially viewed EVs as an existential threat, fearing that simpler electric drivetrains would mean far fewer assembly jobs.
    — Jason Dressel, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Claire now advises executives and organizations on navigating the complicated communications landscape, speaks and writes frequently about tech worker issues, and publishes an existential advice column for tech workers on Substack.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 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

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empiric
empirical
empiricist
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Cite this Entry

“Empirical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empirical. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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