philosophical

adjective

phil·​o·​soph·​i·​cal ˌfi-lə-ˈsä-fi-kəl How to pronounce philosophical (audio)
 also  -ˈzä-
variants or less commonly philosophic
ˌfi-lə-ˈsä-fik How to pronounce philosophical (audio)
 also  -ˈzä-
1
a
: of or relating to philosophers or philosophy
b
: based on philosophy
2
: characterized by the attitude of a philosopher
specifically : calm or unflinching in the face of trouble, defeat, or loss
philosophically adverb

Examples of philosophical in a Sentence

They got into a philosophical debate about what it means for something to be “natural.” He's trying to be philosophical about their decision since he knows he can't change it.
Recent Examples on the Web Photo: Kelly Christine Sutton In conversation, Musgraves is also a touch more philosophical about making music. Liam Hess, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2024 These decisions of the Roberts court laid the legal and philosophical groundwork for the recent affirmative-action case. Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Dutcher was philosophical about what may or may not lie ahead for his team that has lost two straight for the first time in 64 games. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024 Pregnancy Considerations Healthcare documents should and often do address the issue of pregnancy as that is a vital healthcare decision and one fraught with personal, religious, and philosophical considerations. Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 That could matter moving forward as Gloria deals with a City Council majority that, while often on the same philosophical page as the mayor, is seeking to exercise more power. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024 Plenty of Herbert devotees love it, especially those who enjoy politics and philosophical discussion (its Amazon review average is only slightly behind the first book). James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024 Cage, an American maverick whose philosophical, socially conscious works at the time were based on chance, mapped out an elaborate scheme for a show that would bring the entirety of European opera onto the same stage — at the same time. Joshua Barone, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Now Butler returns with a cogent and deeply thoughtful case against the right’s attempts to limit ideas of gender to male and female, offering philosophical and historical evidence to support a fluid system in which all people might present authentically. Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'philosophical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of philosophical was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near philosophical

Cite this Entry

“Philosophical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/philosophical. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

philosophical

adjective
philo·​soph·​i·​cal
ˌfil-ə-ˈsäf-i-kəl
variants also philosophic
-ik
1
: of, relating to, or based on philosophy
2
: characterized by the attitude of a philosopher
especially : calm and patient when faced with trouble
philosophically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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