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
Constructivists’ major argument is that world politics is as much ideational as material and that relations among states depend on norms as much as on military or economic power.
—
Stacie E. Goddard, Foreign Affairs, 31 Oct. 2025
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
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
Stacie E. Goddard, Foreign Affairs, 31 Oct. 2025
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideational
Adjective
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In solving an 80-year-old chemical mystery, the researchers have not only answered a long-standing theoretical question but also expanded the toolbox of modern chemistry.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Beat writer Lauren Williams walks us through a few theoretical trades here.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The real story is Latour’s encounter with the territory—transfigured, by Cather’s prose, into a metaphysical battleground and a sphinxlike witness.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Sirāt‘s central themes are deeply rooted in both metaphysical allegory and contemporary societal critique.—
Robert Lang,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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His most recent works, the Polar EP and the conceptual diptych Helios Rave Draft and Superfluid, continue his exploration of sound design as emotional and physical experience.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
12 Jan. 2026
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That is a conceptual challenge, or shortcoming, that can only be overcome with both some background knowledge on the works and a bit of meandering around the Golden Triangle neighborhood.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The frozen water also created a layer of ice on the floor, as well as an abstract-looking sculpture reaching up towards the ceiling.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Hejduk said that while artists’ abstract designs should be inspired by nature, there’s a lot of leeway .—
Beth Lipoff,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Reconcept uses music paired with specific frequencies tailored to different physical and mental needs.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Rusty recognized the severity of the situation and admitted her to a mental hospital.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Since taking the post, Inboden has criticized universities as straying from their mission, saying universities must restore intellectual diversity and their civic responsibilities.—
Austin American Statesman,
Austin American Statesman,
12 Jan. 2026
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Since 1989, Country Montessori School has been helping children develop their intellectual, physical, social, and emotional potential to the fullest.—
Jose Bolanos,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ideational.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideational. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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