variants
also theoretic
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of theoretical
As organizations compete for a shrinking pool of qualified candidates, the question of why people leave becomes less theoretical and more urgent.
—
Fello, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The warnings are no longer theoretical.
—Dr. Douglas M. Hasson, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2026
Guided by this concept, the team simulated more than 1,500 robot configurations to identify a design close to their theoretical performance limit.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 May 2026
That’s not theoretical, that’s the work in front of me this week.
—Daren Smith, IndieWire, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for theoretical
Fello, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The warnings are no longer theoretical.
—Dr. Douglas M. Hasson, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2026
Guided by this concept, the team simulated more than 1,500 robot configurations to identify a design close to their theoretical performance limit.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 May 2026
That’s not theoretical, that’s the work in front of me this week.
—Daren Smith, IndieWire, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for theoretical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theoretical
Adjective
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In a hypothetical invasion, the two countries could pincer the border and sever the only land route into the Baltic states from the rest of NATO.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
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And according to Sengupta and his colleagues, missions like Solar Cruiser or Betts' hypothetical space-weather station are technologically feasible today.—
Kiona N. Smith,
Space.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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Andrews has continued to work on TV, including Sinbad, as Jafar on Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, and on the Wachowskis’ metaphysical epic Sense8.—
Andrew Walsh,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
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Huxley’s critique is clear; America mistakes body for spirit, promiscuously confusing the physical with the metaphysical.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Adjective
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Of course, the speculative, the surreal, the fantastic has always lent itself to intense, often other-wordly experiences of grief and upheaval.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
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Such scandals have put the spotlight on a murky (and growing) world of speculative, 24/7 transactions now filling the internet.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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More conceptual questions that don’t include a number to optimize can’t easily be studied with AlphaEvolve.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
1 June 2026
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In reality, little was lost in the scuffle over the conceptual work.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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Projections of economic gains from major sporting events are typically optimistic, euphoric, chimerical or conjectural.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
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That statistic is somewhat conjectural, since the vast majority of rapes in India are apparently not reported.—
Mark Jenkins,
Washington Post,
7 Nov. 2023
Adjective
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The experimental drug cut the risk of tumor progression by 65% in a study of lung cancer conducted in China, according to an abstract released ahead of the meeting.—
Angelica Peebles,
CNBC,
31 May 2026
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But Yi has ruminated on these interconnections for more than two decades, making visible (and, sometimes, odorous) the systems around us that are microscopic, impermanent, or technologically abstract, often questioning our discomfort with them.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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The book does often feel like a recording of a mental jam session, but there is also a sense of being guided by a kind of hesitating yet urgent voice that needs to get things figured out.—
Craig Morgan Teicher,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
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The Eternal Values promise Mierers lured followers in with discussions of enlightenment and mental clarity, often revolving around diet, exercise, celibacy, and the willingness to give up material possessions.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Theoretical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theoretical. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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