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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Example Sentences
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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 United States, of course, cannot share everything—physical or ideational—with its partners.
—Thomas G. Mahnken, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 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
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 United States, of course, cannot share everything—physical or ideational—with its partners.
—Thomas G. Mahnken, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 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
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 novel scenario, of flash ionization in the early Universe, may turn out to be, like most new theoretical ideas, a red herring that only takes us to a possible world that never was.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
2 Sep. 2025
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The key is making the financial management real rather than theoretical.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Gleason, famously fascinated with UFOs and metaphysical theory, dreamed up the circular home that embodied futuristic ambition while showcasing old-fashioned craftsmanship.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
3 Sep. 2025
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Dao and qi are two metaphysical categories that persisted throughout the history of Chinese thought, with various interpretations of their unification and separation.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Even within the central nervous system, there was a conceptual hierarchy with the brain controlling the spinal cord.—
Sara Giordano,
The Conversation,
4 Sep. 2025
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Pettman’s book might best be read as comfort for the ghosted, providing a conceptual framework and a history of the idea.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Domains require direct modeling of physical states instead of abstract prediction methods.—
Sadhasivam Mohanadas,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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These aren’t abstract concepts.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Miller is passionate about empowering others by providing information on the connection between physical health, lifestyle choices, and mental well-being.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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Working memory is the ability to hold information needed to accomplish complex mental tasks such as learning, reasoning and problem-solving.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Another way this week may affect you is in relation to intellectual pursuits, communication projects or contracts.—
Kyle Thomas,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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D’Annunzio jeers at her delusional belief that Il Duce will fund her dream project of a theater not for the wealthy cultural and intellectual elite, but for the Great War’s widows, orphans and veterans.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ideational.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideational. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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