What does "systematic" mean?
Carried out according to a planned, ordered procedure.
Systematic
/ˌsɪs.tɪˈmæt.ɪk/ adj, adv, slang
adj, adv, slang ·Top 500 ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Carried out according to a planned, ordered procedure.
- Grammar: systematic is listed as adj, adv, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: abstract relation, academic bacteriologist, academic consistency, academic enumeration.
- Useful contrasts: asystematic, nonsystematic, unsystematic.
- Usage evidence: Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence.
How to use "systematic"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "systematic" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "systematic" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "systematic" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "systematic" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "systematic" is acting as adj, adv, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abstract relation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "systematic", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Carried out according to a planned, ordered procedure.
"The existence of a systematic nomenclature for the unknown elements does not deny the right of 'discoverers' of new elements to suggest other names to the Commission after their discovery has been established beyond all doubt in the general scientific community."
- 2 Methodical; regular and orderly. broadly
"Particular note, in this period, should be made of the actions of Joseph Denman, commander of the Northern Division of the Squadron, who went on an absolutely ruthless and systematic campaign along the African coast, burning so-called "slaving factories" to the ground and openly daring anyone who objected to try and stop him."
- 3 Treating an object as a system or coherent whole.
"the systematic study of religious beliefs"
- 4 Of or relating to taxonomic classification.
- 5 Of, relating to, or in accordance with generally recognized conventions for the naming of chemicals.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Of, relating to, or being a system. archaic, literary
"But the systematic judgment is altogether unprofitable. Its author has not really his eye upon the professed object of his criticism at all, but upon something else, which he wants to prove by means of that object. […] As it is, all that he tells us is that he is no genuine critic, but a man with a system, an advocate."
Adjective
- 1 characterized by order and planning wordnet
- 2 of or relating to taxonomy wordnet
Adverb
- 1 systematically colloquial
""So soon as they've settled all our guns and ships, and smashed our railways, and done all the things they are doing over there, they will begin catching us systematic, picking the best and storing us in cages and things.""
Synonyms
All synonyms abstract relationacademic bacteriologistacademic consistencyacademic enumerationacademic logicianacademic structure
Antonyms
Example
"Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "systematic"?
Common synonyms include: abstract relation, academic bacteriologist, academic consistency, academic enumeration, academic logician, academic structure.
How do you use "systematic" in a sentence?
Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence.
How do you pronounce "systematic"?
Pronounced /ˌsɪs.tɪˈmæt.ɪk/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin systēmaticus, from Koine Greek συστηματικός (sustēmatikós), from σύστημᾰ (sústēmă, “a composite; system”) + -ῐκός (-ĭkós, adjective suffix). Cognate with French systématique and Italian sistematico. By surface analysis, system + -atic.