theoretical

adjective

ˌthē-ə-ˈre-ti-kəl How to pronounce theoretical (audio)
variants also theoretic
Definition of theoreticalnext
1
as in hypothetical
existing only as an assumption or speculation the merits of the new testing procedures are purely theoretical, since no one has ever used them before

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in metaphysical
dealing with or expressing a quality or idea the theoretical musings in his new book are less engaging than the anecdote-driven arguments of his previous works

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of theoretical David Sloan is a theoretical physicist at Lancaster University and the Chief Scientific Officer of the Foundational Questions Institute. — Big Think, 28 Aug. 2026 To theoretical computer scientists, the answer lies in the math of algorithms. — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026 While executive boards debate high-level strategy and conference panels discuss theoretical disruptions, the daily tools sit largely underutilized on the ground. — Stacy L. Hambleton, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026 Having experience working in a team is more influential than all the theoretical knowledge. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for theoretical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theoretical
  1. hypothetical
  2. metaphysical
  3. speculative
  4. conceptual
  5. conjectural
  6. abstract
  7. mental
Adjective
  • Then, in a famous 1937 paper, the mathematician Alan Turing devised a model based on hypothetical machines that could read and write symbols printed on an infinite tape according to a set of simple rules.
    — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Shirley said the bill set a bad precedent, giving a hypothetical scenario of someone hiring a third party to commit violence in order to pin the blame on him.
    — Mackenzie Chase, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of hypothetical
Adjective
  • Eddy has been spared the worst violence; the novel casts his racial privilege as a kind of metaphysical exemption.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • There seems to be a deliberate effort here to make the show more fun without dumbing down its metaphysical and philosophical implications.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of metaphysical
Adjective
  • Unitree’s recent slump has raised concerns about how Beijing may boost emerging strategic sectors without stoking a speculative frenzy.
    — Anniek Bao,Elaine Yu, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The premise places the film inside a debate that has moved rapidly from speculative fiction into everyday working life, but Lien’s approach leans away from techno-thriller territory.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of speculative
Adjective
  • The consortium will also establish a development roadmap covering the steps required to move from the present conceptual phase toward possible construction and deployment.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • For many of its leading figures, from the Impressionists in the 1870s to conceptual artists a century later, this also meant proposing new and better solutions to the problem of how to be and how to live together.
    — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of conceptual
Adjective
  • The first two questions are too hypothetical and conjectural.
    — Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 20 May 2026
  • Projections of economic gains from major sporting events are typically optimistic, euphoric, chimerical or conjectural.
    — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
Definition of conjectural
Adjective
  • But the film doesn’t have to be abstract and leave you longing and searching for answers and so forth.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Physicists asking these questions have recently focused on an even more abstract space that seems especially well suited for their purposes.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of abstract
Adjective
  • Gloria Steinem attributed her mother's nervous breakdown before she was born, and her treatment in mental institutions and the workforce thereafter, as key to her interest in social injustices.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • But writing notes by hand requires a more engaged mental filter.
    — Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of mental

Browse Nearby Words

theorems
theoretical
theories
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Cite this Entry

“Theoretical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theoretical. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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