Synonyms of observational

observational

adjective

as in empirical

based on observation or experience

her reports on the great apes were based on firsthand observational evidence

Synonyms & Similar Words

• empirical
• experimental
• objective
• existential
• factual
• experiential
• actual
• real
• material
• genuine
• established
• indisputable
• accepted
• demonstrable
• undeniable
• verifiable
• provable
• tried
• tried-and-true
• hard

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• theoretical
• speculative
• hypothetical
• conjectural
• nonempirical
• unproven
• unempirical
• unsubstantiated
• metaphysical
• visionary
• transcendentalist

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of observational

The film’s observational intensity yields a form of symbolic realism that highlights both the action and its import—both the drama and the ideas and systems that undergird it. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026

Stephen Maing has upheld a standard of excellence in observational filmmaking through his works. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026

The results are observational, not causal, and because of the wide range of responses – not to mention the vast environmental and individual variables noted earlier – the study presents more questions than answers. — New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026

Total solar eclipses have driven major scientific breakthroughs for more than a century, most famously providing one of the first observational tests of Einstein’s general theory of relativity in 1919. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Because this was an observational study, women who used estrogen may have differed from nonusers in unmeasured ways, including baseline health or frequency of doctor visits. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 12 Aug. 2026

The authors noted several limitations to their findings, including that the observational design cannot prove direct cause and effect. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Mendelian randomization can reduce some sources of bias that affect conventional observational research. — The Conversation Us, Scientific American, 8 Aug. 2026

Those are some of the striking examples of observational register, one that uses tactical distance, sound, slowness and associative montage to convey pain without resorting to the evidentiary shock of graphic imagery. — Sonya Vseliubska, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026