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
Know More Republicans have a theoretical agreement on ending the now-54-day DHS closure.
—
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026
This isn’t a theoretical argument.
—Melanie La Rocca, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
For a child who is struggling, time isn’t theoretical.
—Angelette C. Aviles, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2026
For Mehdi Ghadimi, the ideology behind Iran’s ruling system is not theoretical.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for theoretical
Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026
This isn’t a theoretical argument.
—Melanie La Rocca, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
For a child who is struggling, time isn’t theoretical.
—Angelette C. Aviles, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2026
For Mehdi Ghadimi, the ideology behind Iran’s ruling system is not theoretical.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for theoretical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theoretical
Adjective
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For example, in a hypothetical scenario where total damages equal $100,000, if a court or insurance company determines the injured party was 10% at fault for the crash, the final award would be reduced by that percentage, or $10,000.—
William Jones,
Sacbee.com,
17 Apr. 2026
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This prospect may not be merely hypothetical, as United Airlines and American Airlines have reportedly discussed merging into one company.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The nature of their bond also lends the movie its metaphysical dimension.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
16 Apr. 2026
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Or from whatever this risibly self-serious metaphysical nonsense about performance and possession, creation and exorcism, aims to be.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Without that information, conclusions about feasibility are at best speculative.—
Charles Rilli,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
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When speculative trades piled in, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia were forced to abandon their currency pegs, triggering cascading defaults and deep economic contractions that were worsened by International Monetary Fund austerity programs.—
Anniek Bao,Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Minnesota’s promise is more conceptual, based largely on past success.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
17 Apr. 2026
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By conceptual necessity, that conflict needs to be small enough to be mundane and large enough to drive a person crazy.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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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And the consequences of inaction are not abstract.—
Julian Baron,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Apr. 2026
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There were instead smaller groups of artists putting their own twists on other European movements such as impressionism, surrealism, Futurism, abstract art and more.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The red-light technology is designed for all fitness levels and also adds a wellness component including relaxation, skin health and mental well-being.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Research has long linked strong social connections to better mental and physical health, and loneliness, now widely described as a public health crisis, is partly a result of how surface-level so much of our digital communication has become.—
Avery Newmark,
AJC.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Theoretical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theoretical. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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