1
as in theoretical
dealing with or expressing a quality or idea
she has a notional understanding of romantic love but no actual experience of being in love
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imaginary
not real and existing only in the imagination
your computer's "visits" to various parts of cyberspace are entirely notional—you stay put and the Web pages come to you
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of notional
Their new simulation method models notional dark matter interactions with particles called baryons—that is, mainly protons and neutrons—in and around a Milky Way–scale galaxy.
—
Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Hyperliquid generated approximately $962m in fees in 2025 on roughly $3tn in notional trading volume.
—Bob Diamond, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
According to General Atomics, a notional mission profile envisions MQ-9B aircraft launching from friendly bases in the Western or Southern Pacific, transiting to designated hold points outside an adversary’s weapons engagement zone, and loitering there for extended periods.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 25 Feb. 2026
These challenges all place a premium on quiet peacetime coordination between Washington and Taipei to build alignment on notional military plans and war aims, procedures for escalation management and signaling to Beijing, and conditions for terminating a war.
—Rebecca Lissner, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for notional
Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Hyperliquid generated approximately $962m in fees in 2025 on roughly $3tn in notional trading volume.
—Bob Diamond, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
According to General Atomics, a notional mission profile envisions MQ-9B aircraft launching from friendly bases in the Western or Southern Pacific, transiting to designated hold points outside an adversary’s weapons engagement zone, and loitering there for extended periods.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 25 Feb. 2026
These challenges all place a premium on quiet peacetime coordination between Washington and Taipei to build alignment on notional military plans and war aims, procedures for escalation management and signaling to Beijing, and conditions for terminating a war.
—Rebecca Lissner, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for notional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for notional
Adjective
-
Cherowbrier’s comparison between AI and the Internet regarding its impact on racing reflects how rapidly AI has moved from theoretical possibility to practical tool.—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
The risk is not theoretical The dangers of hot, humid weather are not new to professional soccer players and tournament organizers, though the risks are getting more pronounced as the planet warms.—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Someone needs to tell both Salley and her extraneous E to get the hell off my imaginary husband.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
-
Katie Dippold shaped the show from its very beginnings by way of her passion for both horror and comedy, Hiro Murai is a quiet artist who carries a big imaginary stick.—
Stephen Root,
IndieWire,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Mystical, metaphysical, and frequently touched by whimsy, his boundary-breaking work reflected his abiding interest in Surrealists such as Joseph Cornell, Giorgio di Chirico, and René Magritte.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
12 June 2026
-
Some of the dialogue feels like Harrison’s own metaphysical musings rather than characters’ speech.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
However, operators often hide behind fictitious or stolen identities and fail to comply with cease-and-desist letters; meanwhile, hosting servers are often untraceable, shielded by anonymization techniques or by being located in countries where legal enforcement is extremely difficult.—
Emma Woollacott,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
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He is charged with one count of unlawful voting by aliens and one count of the procurement, casting, or tabulation of ballots that are known to be materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent under state law.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
The pieces are abstract but appear to show featureless human figures sitting atop globular, cloud-like shapes that float in the air.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
-
These are not abstract concerns.—
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Jurassic Park screenwriter notes that aliens, both real and fictional, might exist entirely outside of the bounds of human comprehension.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
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What was the challenge of making this fictional band’s stardom believable — the charisma, the presence on stage, the discography?—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
That extended timeline has allowed organizers to move beyond conceptual planning and into operational detail earlier than usual.—
Tim Genske,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
Although Prada Mode staff are all dressed in metallic silver outfits that match the physical decor, the overall fashion connection is more conceptual than literal.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
The site tells you, in simple terms, whether the dog — or any other animal, real or mythical — makes it out alive.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
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There are also hopper toys that defy the typical ball design in favor of whimsical animals and mythical creatures.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Notional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/notional. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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