variants
also theoretic
1
as in hypothetical
existing only as an assumption or speculation
the merits of the new testing procedures are purely theoretical, since no one has ever used them before
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in metaphysical
dealing with or expressing a quality or idea
the theoretical musings in his new book are less engaging than the anecdote-driven arguments of his previous works
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of theoretical
The theoretical upper limit on stellar mass depends on other factors, too, but is probably around 300 times the sun’s mass.
—
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 20 Mar. 2026
As the teams of scientists working on this puzzle concluded back in 2025, the errors and uncertainties are over on the theoretical side, and until better calculations are performed, the experimental results cannot be used to draw such a sweeping and revolutionary conclusion.
—Big Think, 19 Mar. 2026
Both were attending a conference on theoretical computer science, but the academic trajectories that had brought them there were strikingly different.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Of all the wizards of modern AI, Amodei, the theoretical physicist who founded Anthropic, maker of Claude, is the most publicly anxious about the impact of his product on the world at large, seemingly spooked by his own predictions.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for theoretical
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 20 Mar. 2026
As the teams of scientists working on this puzzle concluded back in 2025, the errors and uncertainties are over on the theoretical side, and until better calculations are performed, the experimental results cannot be used to draw such a sweeping and revolutionary conclusion.
—Big Think, 19 Mar. 2026
Both were attending a conference on theoretical computer science, but the academic trajectories that had brought them there were strikingly different.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Of all the wizards of modern AI, Amodei, the theoretical physicist who founded Anthropic, maker of Claude, is the most publicly anxious about the impact of his product on the world at large, seemingly spooked by his own predictions.
—Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for theoretical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theoretical
Adjective
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Meanwhile, Beijing has been waging information warfare against Tokyo since Takaichi signaled her willingness to aid Taiwan in a hypothetical invasion.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Mar. 2026
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For now, any scenarios involving tax relief remain hypothetical.—
Douglas Hanks
March 13,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The movie addresses metaphysical questions such as the egregore of a generation, the nature of evil, and the search for God in times of His absence.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
19 Mar. 2026
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The most fundamental consequences of being struck by lightning are often metaphysical, and not easily communicable.—
Jacob Stern,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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After the overnight speculative panic from a fortnight ago that shot oil prices across the board to nearly $120 per barrel in the early premarket trading hours of March 9, oil prices quickly settled back down to $100.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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Importantly, the $1 trillion figure appears to be a revenue floor, not a wildly speculative outlook from management.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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On paper, a song that recites hypothetical Spotify playlist titles ought to be a sharp conceptual move.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2026
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The company’s conceptual plan is to build at least 60 units and perhaps more on 12 acres.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Projections of economic gains from major sporting events are typically optimistic, euphoric, chimerical or conjectural.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
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That statistic is somewhat conjectural, since the vast majority of rapes in India are apparently not reported.—
Mark Jenkins,
Washington Post,
7 Nov. 2023
Adjective
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Flowers, too, are reemerging once again (yes, florals for spring), but with a few modern touches like abstract petals, dreamy watercolor washes, and multidimensional accents.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
15 Mar. 2026
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In a series called ‘Self Portraiture Through Abstraction,’ Juha carefully created a series of three self portraits that went from realistic to more and more abstract.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Clear agreements matter as the Moon conjoins mental Mercury in your 7th House of Alignments, encouraging honest dialogue that balances your needs with someone else’s.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Mar. 2026
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Travel days have a way of demanding both mental and physical multitasking—from sticking to a budget and adjusting plans on the fly to quite literally juggling bags, boarding passes, and passports through crowded terminals.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Theoretical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theoretical. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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