philosophical
adjective
phil·o·soph·i·cal
ˌfi-lə-ˈsä-fi-kəl 
also -ˈzä-
variants
or less commonly philosophic
ˌfi-lə-ˈsä-fik
also -ˈzä-
1
a
: of or relating to philosophers or philosophy
b
: based on philosophy
2
: characterized by the attitude of a philosopher
specifically
: calm or unflinching in the face of trouble, defeat, or loss
Examples of philosophical in a Sentence
They got into a philosophical debate about what it means for something to be “natural.”
He's trying to be philosophical about their decision since he knows he can't change it.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Terminator Zero voice cast includes Timothy Olyphant voicing the Terminator, Rosario Dawson as Kokoro and Ann Dowd as The Prophet, a philosophical guide for the human resistance helping shepherd survivors in the darkness of the unknown future ahead.
—
Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 July 2024
After meeting with members of the administration, hopefully philosophical compromises on each side can be made to satisfy both Biden and Cheney, and allow a reassuring platform to be presented to the voters.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 12 July 2024
Some of this comes from the sheer delight that comes from the verbal dexterity of McCarthy’s dialogue, which is filled with witty philosophical exchanges that feel like the work of a deranged love child of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche and Preston Sturges.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 11 July 2024
Because of this premise, IIT does not fall neatly into any of the traditional philosophical theories of mind, such as materialism, dualism, idealism, or panpsychism.
—Lindsey Laughlin, Ars Technica, 10 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for philosophical 
Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 July 2024
After meeting with members of the administration, hopefully philosophical compromises on each side can be made to satisfy both Biden and Cheney, and allow a reassuring platform to be presented to the voters.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 12 July 2024
Some of this comes from the sheer delight that comes from the verbal dexterity of McCarthy’s dialogue, which is filled with witty philosophical exchanges that feel like the work of a deranged love child of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche and Preston Sturges.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 11 July 2024
Because of this premise, IIT does not fall neatly into any of the traditional philosophical theories of mind, such as materialism, dualism, idealism, or panpsychism.
—Lindsey Laughlin, Ars Technica, 10 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for philosophical
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'philosophical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Philosophical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/philosophical. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
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