notional
adjective
no·tion·al
ˈnō-sh(ə-)nəl 
1
2
: existing in the mind only : imaginary
3
: given to foolish or fanciful moods or ideas
4
a
: of, relating to, or being a notion or idea : conceptual
b(1)
: presenting an idea of a thing, action, or quality
has is notional in he has luck, relational in he has gone
(2)
: of or representing what exists or occurs in the world of things as distinguished from syntactic categories
Synonyms of notional
Examples of notional in a Sentence
The notional earnings of the company were close to the actual ones.
she has a notional understanding of romantic love but no actual experience of being in love
Recent Examples on the Web
Unlike Polymarket's Gamma API, Kalshi's notional volume on Dune only counts one side of the trade.
—
Ananya Chetia,
CNBC,
2 July 2026
No matchup is notional from here on.
—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
27 June 2026
The challenge is that orbital data centers are mostly notional, and not actually demonstrated by operating tech — at least yet.
—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
11 June 2026
That places an emphasis on tangible experiences versus notional projects that may or may not go anywhere.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for notional
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Ananya Chetia,
CNBC,
2 July 2026
No matchup is notional from here on.
—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
27 June 2026
The challenge is that orbital data centers are mostly notional, and not actually demonstrated by operating tech — at least yet.
—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
11 June 2026
That places an emphasis on tangible experiences versus notional projects that may or may not go anywhere.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for notional
Cite this Entry
“Notional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notional. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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