as in theoretical
dealing with or expressing a quality or idea
ideograms are ideational—they are meant to suggest some general idea and not a particular word or phrase
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Recent Examples of ideational
Constructivists’ major argument is that world politics is as much ideational as material and that relations among states depend on norms as much as on military or economic power.
—
Stacie E. Goddard, Foreign Affairs, 31 Oct. 2025
These ideational shifts, influenced by both global narratives and local aspirations, are increasingly shaping how Indians approach relationships.
—Anuradha Gupta, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
The ideational content of the image — a man killing another man on a public sidewalk — is only half the message.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
This process, which Doten-Snitker and her coauthors term ideational diffusion, often took many years as people in towns and cities needed time to digest new ideas about witchcraft and turn them into behavior.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2024
Steven Spielberg extends Griffith’s and Ford’s historical insight through an astonishing mix of visual and ideational dialectics.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 June 2023
Stacie E. Goddard, Foreign Affairs, 31 Oct. 2025
These ideational shifts, influenced by both global narratives and local aspirations, are increasingly shaping how Indians approach relationships.
—Anuradha Gupta, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
The ideational content of the image — a man killing another man on a public sidewalk — is only half the message.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
This process, which Doten-Snitker and her coauthors term ideational diffusion, often took many years as people in towns and cities needed time to digest new ideas about witchcraft and turn them into behavior.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2024
Steven Spielberg extends Griffith’s and Ford’s historical insight through an astonishing mix of visual and ideational dialectics.
—Armond White, National Review, 28 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideational
Adjective
-
John Preskill, a senior theoretical physicist at the university with a long history in the field of quantum error correction, advised the group.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
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That alone suggests Google expects quantum computing to be close enough to move from a theoretical problem to a practical one, which means other companies will almost certainly take note and follow suit.—
Alan Henry,
PC Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The movie addresses metaphysical questions such as the egregore of a generation, the nature of evil, and the search for God in times of His absence.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The most fundamental consequences of being struck by lightning are often metaphysical, and not easily communicable.—
Jacob Stern,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But since 2021, the city’s rules have been little more than conceptual and led to virtually no affordable units, the city said.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
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Ryan, who is Orange County based, will begin the conceptual design phase of the memorial, including the preparation of detailed sketches and a 12-inch maquette.—
Magda Liszewska,
Oc Register,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Those humanistic and critical values are, for Y, not merely some abstract doctrine but a vital aspect of his identity.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Before the three scientists’ work, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans were largely abstract animals to most people – zoo exhibits, textbook illustrations, evolutionary symbols.—
Mireya Mayor,
The Conversation,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This money, if considered by the same lawmakers who have paid TSA in more than 40 days, would cover late fees, overdrafts, and even mental anguish.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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King, who is in his early fifties, is a former marine, a motivational speaker, and a mental-health and substance-abuse professional.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Their feelings develop quietly, the burn paired with intellectual restraint, their romance remaining unresolved until far into the novel.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
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Looking at a neck and imagining the scales and seeing the notes that work on the neck is more of an intellectual exercise.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ideational.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideational. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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