theoretical

1 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 of theoretical academic (also academical), conjectural, hypothetical, speculative, suppositional Words Related to theoretical alleged, assumed, presumed, presupposed, proposed, supposed, unproved, unproven, untested; debatable, moot; abstract, conceptual, intellectual, metaphysical; nonclinical, nonpractical; nonempirical Near Antonyms of theoretical clinical, practical; concrete, defined, definite, distinct; attested, authenticated, confirmed, demonstrated, established, proven, substantiated, tested, time-tested, validated, verified; empirical (also empiric), nonspeculative, nontheoretical, observational Antonyms of theoretical actual, factual, real

2 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 of theoretical conceptual, ideal, ideational, metaphysical, notional, abstract (also theoretic)Words Related to theoretical conjectural, hypothetical, speculative; cosmic (also cosmical), intellectual, mental, spiritual; ethereal, immaterial, incorporeal, insubstantial, nonmaterial, nonphysical, unsubstantial; impalpable, imperceptible, insensible, intangible, invisible; impractical, romantic, transcendent, transcendental, unreal, utopian, visionaryNear Antonyms of theoretical material, physical; appreciable, detectable, discernible (also discernable), noticeable, observable, palpable, perceptible, sensible, substantial, tangible, visible; defined, definite, distinct; actual, factual, realAntonyms of theoretical concrete, nonabstract