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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of theoretical
Researchers noted the positive effects of ecstatic epilepsy and synthesized fifty-three theoretical models of delusion.
—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
Embed Survivor Stories in Workplace Training Workshops and harassment policies often feel like checkbox exercises — detached, theoretical and easy to tune out.
—Melissa Jun Rowley, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2025
In addition, the Special Breakthrough Prize was awarded to Gerard ‘t Hooft, one of the world’s pre-eminent theoretical physicists.
—Ashley Lan, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2025
Yet unless its power is coordinated, its advantages will remain largely theoretical.
—Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for theoretical
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
Embed Survivor Stories in Workplace Training Workshops and harassment policies often feel like checkbox exercises — detached, theoretical and easy to tune out.
—Melissa Jun Rowley, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2025
In addition, the Special Breakthrough Prize was awarded to Gerard ‘t Hooft, one of the world’s pre-eminent theoretical physicists.
—Ashley Lan, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2025
Yet unless its power is coordinated, its advantages will remain largely theoretical.
—Kurt M. Campbell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for theoretical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theoretical
Adjective
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These aren’t hypothetical scenarios, but active use cases in pilot programs around the world.—
Kolawole Samuel Adebayo,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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A lot was still hypothetical, imagined and hopeful about what could be.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The song borders on the absurd, but its faith in the metaphysical properties of a melody is infectious.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2025
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But now, almost five years after the pandemic, what exactly is driving this metaphysical renaissance?—
Michaela Trimble,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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First, because our common narrative framework depends on the past, many people still consider warming through a speculative lens, failing to recognize the severity, and urgency, of superstorms and sea-level rise.—
Heather Hansman,
The Atlantic,
22 Apr. 2025
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However, the speculative bubble, which saw a surfeit of product land on the market, needs to be addressed.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In this sense, generative A.I. might count as a conceptual win for my field.—
D. Graham Burnett,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2025
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That Cold War playbook—containment, deterrence, ideological messaging, and eventual collapse—became America's conceptual toolkit for managing future rivals.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But the possible consequences of an Iranian nuclear capability are largely conjectural (save for one: nobody would think of invading Iran anymore).—
Barry R. Posen,
Foreign Affairs,
7 Sep. 2010
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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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Gomes’s sculptures have a biomorphic feel to them, even while being fully abstract.—
Grace Edquist,
Vogue,
25 Apr. 2025
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Go behind the scenes of our most abstract assignment of the year.—
Kendra Vaculin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Theoretical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theoretical. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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