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 academic (also academical), conjectural, hypothetical, speculative, suppositional Related Words alleged, assumed, presumed, presupposed, proposed, supposed, unproved, unproven, untested; debatable, moot; abstract, conceptual, intellectual, metaphysical; nonclinical, nonpractical; nonempirical Near Antonyms 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 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 conceptual, ideal, ideational, metaphysical, notional, abstract (also theoretic)Related Words 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 material, physical; appreciable, detectable, discernible (also discernable), noticeable, observable, palpable, perceptible, sensible, substantial, tangible, visible; defined, definite, distinct; actual, factual, realAntonyms concrete, nonabstract