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

philosophically

ˌfi-lə-ˈsä-fi-k(ə-)lē 

also -ˈzä-

adverb

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

Deciding who goes first among the forwards will come down to a team’s philosophical preference and risk tolerance. —Corey Pronman, New York Times, 21 May 2026

That’s not some modern philosophical point. —William Jones, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026

What this looks like in practice varies based on a researcher’s academic discipline, their philosophical approach and their personal background. —Ankolika De, The Conversation, 19 May 2026

One of the film’s biggest reflections involves a heady discourse on dialectical materialism, a complicated philosophical principle based on how opposing forces and contradictions fuel change. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing philosophical

• philosophical analysis

Rhymes for philosophical

• theosophical
• unphilosophical

Kids Definition

philosophical

adjective

philo·​soph·​i·​cal

ˌfil-ə-ˈsäf-i-kəl

variants also philosophic

-ik

1

: of, relating to, or based on philosophy

2

: characterized by the attitude of a philosopher

especially : calm and patient when faced with trouble

philosophically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb