observational

adjective

Definition of observationalnext
as in empirical
based on observation or experience her reports on the great apes were based on firsthand observational evidence

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of observational Eleanor envisioned an observational film in the vein of Frederick Wiseman, and the doc is narrated by actress Diane Lane, a longtime Coppola family collaborator, who reads Eleanor’s contemporaneous diary entries from twenty years ago. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026 My research focuses on finding links between fiber and different diseases in observational data and figuring out how to test them in a clinical trial. — Jean Liew, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026 But observational studies can only establish association — not causation. — Subramaniam C. Krishnan, STAT, 28 Sep. 2026 This challenge is often why researchers turn to observational studies, also called real-world evidence studies. — Mark Louie Ramos, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026 The researchers agreed that the accounts are observational and that pharmacological testing and long-term tracking are the necessary next steps. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026 Its approach is spatial and observational, less interested in the ideological binary of left and right than in the vast, complicated country that lies between. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026 My company recently performed an observational analysis of millions of prompts and responses across all brands and product categories on the Azoma platform during Q2 2026. — Max Sinclair, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026 The authors of both studies noted that the research was observational and could not prove that the medication caused NAION. — Melissa Rudy , Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for observational
  1. empirical
  2. experimental
  3. objective
Adjective
  • Both Fontaines were scouts well ahead of the deep empirical and objective analysis of baseball data — sabermetrics is the catchall term — that some believe has made scouts obsolete.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Others, like Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares, think the empirical methods this would require are extremely unlikely to work, and place the chance that superintelligence kills us all very high.
    — Geoffrey Irving, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of empirical
Adjective
  • Its experimental Little Blue Menu concept served traditional Chick-fil-A menu items along with burgers, pizza and onion rings; the chain will convert its final location into a traditional Chick-fil-A next year.
    — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The one-day event will screen 12 shorts from seven countries, with documentaries, dramas, comedies, animation and experimental pieces in the mix.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of experimental
Adjective
  • Both Fontaines were scouts well ahead of the deep empirical and objective analysis of baseball data — sabermetrics is the catchall term — that some believe has made scouts obsolete.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • By any objective measure, the Pan America is a capable, comfortable, raucous-sounding, brute-faced, mile-killer that attracts only the very finest heathens.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of objective

Browse Nearby Words

observation
observational
observations
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Cite this Entry

“Observational.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/observational. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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