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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Moreover, according to the researchers, their technique works even when there is no perfect theoretical model of the material, and the sample is not pure (which is often the case in real-world materials).—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Apr. 2026
-
This week, that scenario started to feel less theoretical.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC news,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The movie addresses metaphysical questions such as the egregore of a generation, the nature of evil, and the search for God in times of His absence.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The most fundamental consequences of being struck by lightning are often metaphysical, and not easily communicable.—
Jacob Stern,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But as the MoMA show argues, Duchamp also did this as a conceptual strategy, to degrade the value of the original and question what counted as a copy.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The Del Mar City Council approved the conceptual design for the Major Arterial Medians Improvements Project during its April 7 meeting, as well as a $120,000 task order for final design by MW Peltz and Associates.—
Luke Harold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Trotsky’s arguments about revolution in one nation versus a revolution of the international proletariat, like the fine argumentative tracery of Paul’s Jewish Christians versus Greek ones, seemed vital to the movement at the time but weirdly trivial and abstract to those outside it.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Following a major renovation from 2020 to 2022, the guest rooms and suites feel fresh, residential, and quietly luxurious—blending warm oak and soft marine hues with contemporary artwork by New York abstract artist Tamar Zinn and Hong Kong ink artist Kassia Ko.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Network is the story of veteran news anchor Howard Beale’s (Peter Finch) on-air mental breakdown, a decline that is exploited by executives at the Union Broadcasting System.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Dialysis takes a massive physical and mental toll.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Crabapple is an artist and author known for lucid leftie takes, and her book takes on the thorny history of a vibrant intellectual tradition.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
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The man’s still handsome, laid back, intellectual and gives a sly smile here and there.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ideational.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideational. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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