UNEMPIRICAL Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

unempirical

adjective

Definition of unempirical

as in theoretical

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unempirical

Adjective

And if people don’t have the agency to use either effectively, much of the theoretical value stays theoretical.

— Prithvi Singh Shergill, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
In some versions of this test, the option to self-medicate came at a cost, either to the success of its task or as a theoretical attack on the user.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of theoretical

Adjective

The enforcement of such nonempirical standards as taste and judgment implies a kind of cultural and aesthetic hierarchy that Silicon Valley’s ruling class embraces ruthlessly but will never admit to countenancing.

— Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 20 Oct. 2019
Each story represents a fresh challenge of how to say things in a nonempirical way.

— Hilton Als, The New Yorker, 24 June 2018

Definition of nonempirical

Adjective

Hinton offered a hypothetical scenario of an AI tasked with reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
Some proponents contend that emphasizing existential threats from a hypothetical future superintelligence can serve as a distraction from the more immediate harms and accountability issues surrounding AI today.

— Katie McQue, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of hypothetical

Adjective

These platforms are colonizing existing speculative spaces—like election results and sporting outcomes—while profiting from areas of asymmetrical knowledge that were previously not possible to monetize.

— Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
For its movie, Neon plans to focus on emerging filmmakers to contribute to the anthology feature based on the sprawling SCP Wiki launched in 2008 as a collaborative and speculative fiction website.

— Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of speculative

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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unemphatic

unempirical

unemployable

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“Unempirical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unempirical. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unempirical

adjective

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