anecdotal

American  

[an-ik-doht-l] / ˌæn ɪkˈdoʊt l /

adjective

1. pertaining to, resembling, or containing anecdotes.

   an anecdotal history of jazz.

2. Fine Arts. (of the treatment of subject matter in representational art) pertaining to the relationship of figures or to the arrangement of elements in a scene so as to emphasize the story content of a subject.

3. based on personal observation, case study reports, or random investigations rather than systematic scientific evaluation.

   anecdotal evidence.

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anecdotal British  

/ ˌænɛkˈdəʊtəl /

adjective

1. containing or consisting exclusively of anecdotes rather than connected discourse or research conducted under controlled conditions

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Usage

What does anecdotal mean? Anecdotal describes something that is related to a short account of an incident from a particular perspective. Something that is anecdotal is a story told through anecdotes. An anecdote is a short recounting of an event from someone’s point of view, normally in a pleasant or humorous manner. For example, anecdotal history is a historical account that is laid out through the perspectives of the people involved. Anecdotal also describes something, such as research, that is based on personal observation and experience. Anecdotal evidence can be gathered by interviews, surveys, and other methods that allow people to share their experiences with the researcher.  In comparison, scientific evidence is gathered by comparing a dependent and independent variable in a controlled environment. Both types of evidence are important, but anecdotal evidence can’t prove something the way repeated testing and consistent results can. Example: My science paper relied on anecdotal evidence instead of experimentation, so the teacher gave me a low grade.

Other Word Forms

• anecdotalism
  noun
• anecdotally
  adverb
• unanecdotal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of anecdotal

First recorded in 1830–40; anecdote + -al ¹

Explanation

Something anecdotal has to do with anecdotes — little stories. Anecdotal evidence is based on hearsay rather than hard facts. People like to share stories about things that happened to them, or that they heard about, to make a point. That kind of talk is anecdotal: based on small, personal accounts. Anecdotal stories are helpful when you’re trying to give an example of something, but there's a downside to anecdotal information: since it’s not based on facts, you never know if you can totally trust it. So it's best to go beyond the anecdotal and get more solid information.

Example Sentences

Anecdotal data suggest there is also an exodus of regular people who load their belongings into rental trucks and lug them to another state.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

Anecdotal claims about smoother skin or increased energy are likely to be placebo effects.

From Salon • Jan. 27, 2025

Anecdotal evidence, including social media footage of grilled meat being sold in Jabalia camp for the first time in months, has also circulated, suggesting food is becoming more easily available.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2024

Anecdotal stories suggest shelters often struggle to find homes for dogs with these rarer eye colors, she notes.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 19, 2023

Anecdotal evidence from the UK and US suggests that this is common throughout many other parts of the world.

From Behind the News: Voices from Goa's Press by Various

Related Words

• unreliable
• unscientific