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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of notional
That notional system features four interceptor layers, one of which is space-based.
—
Mike Wall, Space.com, 13 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for notional
Mike Wall, Space.com, 13 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for notional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for notional
Adjective
-
Before that, the idea of one day becoming king was something distant and theoretical, a concept discussed in books and family history rather than something with immediate relevance to his own life.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
20 June 2026
-
This stopped being theoretical just this month.—
Renana Ashkenazi,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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Other ideas involve arts and crafts projects, or playing imaginary games with her 8-year-old sister.—
Rhitu Chatterjee,
NPR,
19 June 2026
-
The Vision Award pays tribute to someone whose creative work has contributed to the renewal of the cinematographic imaginary.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
Instrumental rock music of the kind Horse Lords make—hypnotic, hyper-focused, complex—usually carries a whiff of manifesto, offering a map toward transcendence of some political, metaphysical, or pick-your-variety kind.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
16 June 2026
-
Rationality lurks in theology from the beginning, just as philosophy never shakes off its yearning for the metaphysical.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
In 1811, The Nottingham Review newspaper recorded what's believed to be the first historical mention of the fictitious Ludd character, described as a framework knitting apprentice near Leicester.—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
19 June 2026
-
Chen, who is currently being held on $100,000 bail in the Clark County Detention Center, has been charged with five felony counts of bigamy and two counts of intent to utter a fictitious bill/note/check, per FOX5.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
And that fear does not remain abstract.—
Adam Abutaa,
Sun Sentinel,
21 June 2026
-
Those are not abstract AI principles.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
The mural that wraps around the room depicts the colorful life of the bar’s namesake, Arabella Huntington, the second wife of railroad magnate Collis Potter Huntington, and the cocktails in the drinks menu are playfully written as fictional entries in Arabella’s diary.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 June 2026
-
In the show, the fictional version of Harrelson goes to stay at McConaughey's ranch in Austin, but things spiral out of control after McConaughey's mom, played by Holland Taylor, lets their possible familial connection slip.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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The point of using different types of corn in the mashbill is to explore how less common varietals affect the flavor of the whiskey, which if taken to another conceptual level should influence how the wood will affect another spirit aged in the barrels.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
11 June 2026
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Pre-submittal meetings are optional and go over conceptual or preliminary designs for commercial projects.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The businesses that will win with AI aren’t waiting for a mythical moment when the technology handles everything.—
Tomas Gorny,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
So, why does the 18-year-old, who wears that mythical number for Barcelona — most closely associated with their all-time record scorer and appearance maker Messi — not have the same privilege with La Roja?—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Notional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/notional. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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