as in theoretical
dealing with or expressing a quality or idea
ideograms are ideational—they are meant to suggest some general idea and not a particular word or phrase
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Recent Examples of ideational
These ideational shifts, influenced by both global narratives and local aspirations, are increasingly shaping how Indians approach relationships.
—
Anuradha Gupta, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
The ideational content of the image — a man killing another man on a public sidewalk — is only half the message.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
This process, which Doten-Snitker and her coauthors term ideational diffusion, often took many years as people in towns and cities needed time to digest new ideas about witchcraft and turn them into behavior.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2024
The ideational content of the image — a man killing another man on a public sidewalk — is only half the message.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
The United States, of course, cannot share everything—physical or ideational—with its partners.
—Thomas G. Mahnken, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2024
This ideational convergence, deepened by two decades of accumulating trust between India and the United States, has enhanced the strategic partnership and set the stage for even closer cooperation in the future.
—Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2020
Steven Spielberg extends Griffith’s and Ford’s historical insight through an astonishing mix of visual and ideational dialectics.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 June 2023
Einstein’s theories as ideational relativism.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 3 May 2021
Anuradha Gupta, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
The ideational content of the image — a man killing another man on a public sidewalk — is only half the message.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
This process, which Doten-Snitker and her coauthors term ideational diffusion, often took many years as people in towns and cities needed time to digest new ideas about witchcraft and turn them into behavior.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2024
The ideational content of the image — a man killing another man on a public sidewalk — is only half the message.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
The United States, of course, cannot share everything—physical or ideational—with its partners.
—Thomas G. Mahnken, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2024
This ideational convergence, deepened by two decades of accumulating trust between India and the United States, has enhanced the strategic partnership and set the stage for even closer cooperation in the future.
—Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2020
Steven Spielberg extends Griffith’s and Ford’s historical insight through an astonishing mix of visual and ideational dialectics.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 June 2023
Einstein’s theories as ideational relativism.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 3 May 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideational
Adjective
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This score reflects real-world usage rather than theoretical task analysis.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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The resulting mysteries and their solutions only get more creative once the gang is back together, even dipping into theoretical science and thought experiments as the basis of his mind-bending stories.—
Kambole Campbell,
Vulture,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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Vendors will offer beads, minerals, gemstones, custom jewelry, fossils, artifacts, and metaphysical stones.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Aug. 2025
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The series invites fans on a metaphysical road trip through the West Coast sunset with a euphoric lineup designed to illuminate audiences and create space for community, connection and spiritual transformation.—
Caroline Tell,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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On the other hand, the Republic of Korea said that more conceptual clarity is needed for the concept of value creation.—
Nana Ama Sarfo,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
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Town consultants have created a conceptual plan showing 214 apartments spread between the Daniels Mill, the adjacent Anacoil Mill and the Amerbelle complex.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Second, present bias: the immediate pain of thinking through problems manually outweighs abstract future concerns about skill atrophy.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
10 Aug. 2025
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Try the look with this sleeveless shirt dress that has an abstract print, full button front, waist ties, and a midi length that hits right below the knees on most people.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
People.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This definition also includes instance in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity (include due to the influence of drugs or alcohol) or because of age.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Apr. 2025
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Without supervision or regulation, kids can easily stumble upon explicit material, including violent and extremist content, that can lead to mental distress, desensitization and a warped perception of the world around them.—
Richard Wistocki,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Throughout history, new technologies have often sparked fears of intellectual or physical decline.—
Nirmal Mukhi,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Secretary Rubio is constructing a Department of State where groupthink is out and intellectual rigor is in; where DEI is replaced with merit; and where training focuses on winning in a tough world.—
Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ideational.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideational. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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