variants
also philosophic
as in analytic
being, given to, or marked by deep thinking especially about fundamental questions of the world
A philosophical person by nature, she spent many hours in deep thought about the great mysteries of life.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 philosophical
Aside from practical concerns, people from many faiths are grappling with larger philosophical questions about what sort of role, if any, AI should play in religion.
—
ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
That’s the key behind a philosophical conundrum known as the past hypothesis puzzle.
—Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026
Majma-ul-Bahrain (1657) Majma-ul-Bahrain (The Mingling of the Two Oceans) is a philosophical treatise composed in Persian by Dara Shikoh, eldest son of Shah Jahan and heir apparent to the Mughal throne.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026
Greece had a thriving philosophical tradition before Socrates, but only fragments survive; almost all our knowledge stems from later accounts, a history written by the winners.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for philosophical
ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
That’s the key behind a philosophical conundrum known as the past hypothesis puzzle.
—Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026
Majma-ul-Bahrain (1657) Majma-ul-Bahrain (The Mingling of the Two Oceans) is a philosophical treatise composed in Persian by Dara Shikoh, eldest son of Shah Jahan and heir apparent to the Mughal throne.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026
Greece had a thriving philosophical tradition before Socrates, but only fragments survive; almost all our knowledge stems from later accounts, a history written by the winners.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for philosophical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for philosophical
Adjective
-
Science and art are often held up as opposites — the logical and analytical versus the creative and emotional, the domain of the left brain hemisphere versus the right, the yang versus the yin.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
This Earth sign is deeply analytical, introspective and is often associated with themes surrounding healing, self-improvement and mental health, which strongly resonates with her portrayal of Rue Bennett.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the absence of a money tree, the only logical response to a budget deficit is to make adjustments on the expense side.—
Harvey Levine,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
An injury settlement feels like the most logical path at this point.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And being rational, as Rawls stipulated that proto-citizens are, means being averse to risk.—
George G. Szpiro,
Big Think,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The lawsuit claims that Missouri lawmakers used no rational basis to categorize which counties qualified for a 5% cap, a freeze or neither.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fiapoto is only the latest Tre-4 member to face serious charges in Contra Costa, where five members and associates were sent to prison last year for a series of jewelry robberies, including one that resulted in a homicide in Lafayette.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Heal, who is fifty, only became a serious Catholic in his late thirties, and had spent the first part of his career as a firefighter in Arizona.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Eisenberg’s albums under their own name tend toward the more introspective, though no less experimental.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Recognizing one’s own feelings and being introspective about them.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Philosophical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/philosophical. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
