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
In cosmology itself, there has been quite a bit of progress in the past five years to develop the theoretical techniques to understand these three-dimensional data that have been gathered by new devices….
—
Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 16 June 2026
The group examined how hybrid production models incorporating AI have moved from theoretical planning into day-to-day operations for companies developing their next content slates.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 June 2026
Birth figures came to reflect real cases that midwife-authors had attended, not theoretical possibilities.
—Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
Researchers must also address fundamental scientific and engineering problems before the technology can achieve its theoretical performance advantages.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for theoretical
Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 16 June 2026
The group examined how hybrid production models incorporating AI have moved from theoretical planning into day-to-day operations for companies developing their next content slates.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 June 2026
Birth figures came to reflect real cases that midwife-authors had attended, not theoretical possibilities.
—Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
Researchers must also address fundamental scientific and engineering problems before the technology can achieve its theoretical performance advantages.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for theoretical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theoretical
Adjective
-
When an audience member posed a hypothetical choice between a flawed but distinctive film and a polished but unremarkable one, Leung said either would do, arguing that cinema’s goal was sincerity, in performance or in a director’s expression, rather than polish.—
Jenny S. Li,
Variety,
20 June 2026
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Ajmera later clarified the question was hypothetical and did not signal any planned leadership changes.—
Zaire Breedlove,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
Instrumental rock music of the kind Horse Lords make—hypnotic, hyper-focused, complex—usually carries a whiff of manifesto, offering a map toward transcendence of some political, metaphysical, or pick-your-variety kind.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
16 June 2026
-
Rationality lurks in theology from the beginning, just as philosophy never shakes off its yearning for the metaphysical.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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The aerospace company has figured out how to position itself firmly in the middle of the speculative hype of the AI cycle, and numerous financial organizations have amended rules designed to protect retail investors.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
20 June 2026
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CoreWeave, for instance, despite projecting significant revenue, carries a speculative-grade credit rating and substantial debt.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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But any correspondence between string theory and experiment is gratifying to Vafa, who has spent the past four decades trying to wrest the theory from the purely conceptual realm to the point of generating testable predictions.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
22 June 2026
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Noah Rubin Rubin and his colleagues first proposed the design for this camera in a previous conceptual paper.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
The first two questions are too hypothetical and conjectural.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
20 May 2026
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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
Adjective
-
And that fear does not remain abstract.—
Adam Abutaa,
Sun Sentinel,
21 June 2026
-
Those are not abstract AI principles.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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The Moon in your 1st House of Identity squares mental Mercury in your 10th House of Career, so personal needs may rub against professional expectations.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2026
-
Over the next year, expect to see a few more invasive BCI companies launch similar clinical trials with the goal of translating mental activity into spoken words.—
Rob Toews,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Theoretical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theoretical. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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