Grammar is an empirical science, not a theoretical one.
Source: tatoeba (1439896)
Empirical
/ɪmˈpɪɹɪkəl/
Synonyms for "empirical" (387 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (78)
Noun(37 words)
adjective of evidenceanalytic adjectivebase decisions on factsbehavioral policiesbiological knowledgechemical experimentationclinical conclusionscriminal justice systemcrustal displacement observeddadosdaricondata baseddata based claimdata based testdata conceptsdata driven analysisdata driven assessmentdata driven deductiondata driven labdata driven method
Show 17 more words
data driven studydata from observationdata measuredata organizationsdata oriented studydata pattern trenddata patterneddata point methoddata valuesdatrildescriptive essaydescriptive textdescriptive word choicedescriptive word listdescriptive word usage guidelinesdescriptive writingdirect observation
Adjective(31 words)
analytical methodbehavioral databehavioral sciencebehavioral skillsbehavioral traitsbehaviouralclinical guidelineclinical guidelinesclinical modifierclinical scientistclinical toneconcrete realitydata based conclusiondata drivendata-baseddata-based assessmentdata-derived descriptordata-driven analysisdata-driven approachdatadriven
Show 11 more words
descriptive adjectivedescriptive detaildescriptive detailsdescriptive paragraphdescriptive taskdescriptive word usagedescriptive wordsdetected energy spectrumeconometriceducational research methodempiric
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (116)
eudaemonisticexistentialexperientialexperimentalfactualhedonichedonisthedonisticheuristichit-or-misshumanisthumanisticidealisticinstrumentalistmaterialisticmechanisticmegarianmetaphysicalmonisticnaturalistic
Show 1 more word
Adjective(41 words)
evidence basedevidence based methodevidence-based diagnosisevidence-based styleevidenced dataevidentialevidentiary argumentexperientialexperiential knowledgeexperiential unitexperiment-ledexperimental approachexperimental dataexperimental datasetexperimental evidenceexperimental evidencesexperimental measurementexperimental methodexperimental observationexperimental organism study
Show 21 more words
experimental parameterexperimental planexperimental protocolexperimental resultsexperimental signalexperimental taskexperimental termsgrounded in datahuxleianinductivemeasured energy outputmodern linguisticsnatural sciencenatural science topicsnatural sciences inquirynatural scientistnaturalistic approachnumerical quantificationobservable behaviorobservable changeobservable characteristic
Noun(49 words)
evidence based approachevidence based assessmentevidence based claimevidence based pedagogical approachevidence-based assessmentevidence-based practiceexperientexperimental descriptorexperimental designexperimental detailsexperimental justificationexperimental physicistexperimental procedureexperimental studyexperimental workexperimentally observable dataexperimentingfact basedfact based conclusionfield notebook
Show 29 more words
field-based conclusionsgalileanheuristic designheuristic techniqueinductive reasoninglab orientedlab physics homeworklinguistic featurelingüístico descriptivomanagement disciplinemeasured energy usemeasured kinetic energy valuemedical conditionmedieval history texts corpusmore observationalmore physics-experimentalmore scientificmost evidentialmost experientialmost experimentalmost observationalmost scientificnatural phenomenon datanatural science experimentnatural sciencesnumerical analysisobjective lensobservableobservable action verb
Verb(1 words)
Determiner(3 words)
more data driven methodmost observable datamost physical trace
Adverb(1 words)
more observable pattern
Related words (193)
Adjective(88 words)
observable cueobservable effectobservable eventobservable featureobservable individual differencesobservable outcomeobservable propertyobservable traitobservable universeobservable variableobservationalobservational approachobservational datumobservational descriptorobservational errorobservational evidencesobservational metricobservational noteobservational studyobserved behavioral pattern
Show 68 more words
observed entityobserved eventobserved propertyobserved quantityobserved runtimeobserved traitoceanographic studyoperational rulesphysical evidencephysical phenomenonphysical science experimentsphysical signalphysical thingsphysics-experimentallypractical skillsreal numbersreal world descriptorreal world scenarioreal world specimenreal world systemresearch-backedscience-basedscientificscientific achievementscientific adjectivescientific categoryscientific conceptscientific conceptsscientific descriptorsscientific disciplinescientific disciplinesscientific discoursescientific evidencescientific experimentalismscientific ideascientific journalscientific knowledgescientific lawscientific measurescientific methodologyscientific modelscientific phenomenascientific phenomenonscientific physical lawscientific principlescientific propertyscientific protocolscientific qualityscientific questionscientific realmscientific researchscientific revolutionsscientific societyscientific termscientific thinkingscientific worldviewscientisticsocial trendstatistical conceptstatistical conclusionstatistical methodstatistical propertystatistical sciencestatistical supportstatistical termtest based analysistrial datausage-based
Noun(67 words)
observable featuresobservable physics occurrenceobservation based studyobservational dataobservational designobservational evidenceobservational methodobservational notesobservational qualityobserved energy distributionobserved kinetic energyobserved mass valueobserved outcomepeireskiaphysical activitiesphysical experimentphysical properties diagramphysical scientistphysics experimentpopulation data
Show 47 more words
real world instanceresearch artresearch baseresearch dataresearch issueresearch materialresearch studyscscience areascience domainscience ideascience notebook data tablescience notebook observationscience skillscience subject areascience teachingscience-based approachscientific activityscientific argumentationscientific datascientific evidentialistscientific experimentscientific inventionscientific investigationscientific measurementscientific methodsscientific natural phenomenonscientific observationscientific practicescientific processscientific qualifierscientific quantityscientific rationalityscientific studyscientifically accuratescientifically basedscientifically rigoroussocial sciencesstate practice normsstatistical examplestatistical methodsstatistical programtest basedtrend toward remote learningtrial and errorwriting education researchzoological science
Verb(1 words)
perform descriptive analysis
Determiner(1 words)
the scientific enterprise
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: adjective of evidence, analytic adjective, analytical method, animist, animistic.
- Sentence evidence is available for empirical, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, opengloss, wiktionary, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "empirical".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "empirical"
Keep "empirical" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "empirical" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "empirical", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "empirical" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesMore specific
4 entriescontrolled trialexperimental resultfield testobservational data
Collocations
5 entriesempirical dataempirical evidenceempirical methodempirical researchempirical study
Inflections
2 entriesmore empiricalmost empirical
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
11 entriesa posterioriconfirmabledata-basedexistentialexperientialexperimentalfalsifiableobservationalsemiempiricaltrial-and-errorverifiable
Sample sentences
14 total sentences available.
As of yet there has been no empirical research done on this subject.
Source: tatoeba (2403686)
The empirical data from this experiment seems in line with the theoretical hypotheses.
Source: tatoeba (2463488)
"All humans are mortal" is an empirical observation based on millennia of experience.
Source: tatoeba (2514704)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "empirical"?
Closest matches include adjective of evidence, analytic adjective, analytical method, animist, animistic.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "empirical"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.