as in spiritual
not composed of matter
ghosts are generally thought to be nonphysical in nature
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Recent Examples of nonphysical
In Ayurveda, Prana, the life force carried by the breath, is understood to nourish both the mind and body and can be viewed as a nonphysical substance, finer than oxygen.
—
Trisha Swift, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
In accounting, intangible assets are nonphysical possessions including such things as brands and intellectual property, software, mineral rights ‒ and contracts.
—Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Ansari answers crypto question with call for campaign finance reform
Ansari’s candidacy was boosted by a massive expenditure from advocates of cryptocurrency, the digital currencies that exist on nonphysical, decentralized ledger systems.
—Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 17 Oct. 2024
The second is Dualism, where there is a nonphysical or spiritual substance-such as a soul-that interacts with the brain and body.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 26 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for nonphysical
Trisha Swift, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
In accounting, intangible assets are nonphysical possessions including such things as brands and intellectual property, software, mineral rights ‒ and contracts.
—Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Ansari answers crypto question with call for campaign finance reform
Ansari’s candidacy was boosted by a massive expenditure from advocates of cryptocurrency, the digital currencies that exist on nonphysical, decentralized ledger systems.
—Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 17 Oct. 2024
The second is Dualism, where there is a nonphysical or spiritual substance-such as a soul-that interacts with the brain and body.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 26 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for nonphysical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonphysical
Adjective
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Lent is centered on repentance and spiritual preparation according to the Vatican.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Jan. 2026
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Think of it as a way to get in touch with the potential spiritual lessons of the year.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
20 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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In fact, magical life has the potential to be even more radically incorporeal than our own.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
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Indeed, in stark contrast to the incorporeal nature of a digital image, each of Winant’s photographs is, in a sense, a discrete body: a fallible material entity that boasts a hidden physical history and that will compositionally deteriorate over time.—
Jessica Simmons-Reid,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
Adjective
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Set in Hawkins, Indiana in the 1980s, Stranger Things starts with a true-crime mystery that quickly turns supernatural.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
7 Jan. 2026
-
An epic with supernatural and epigenetic overtones, this debut novel looks like a feast of a story.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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What should be a perfect evening turns into chaos with the arrival of a psychic.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
19 Jan. 2026
-
Which is such a specificity of showing the psychic life of the character, building him from the inside-out and the outside-in.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nonphysical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonphysical. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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