conceptual
Americanadjective
adjective
-
relating to or concerned with concepts; abstract
-
concerned with the definitions or relations of the concepts of some field of enquiry rather than with the facts
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of conceptual
First recorded in 1655–65; Medieval Latin conceptuālis; see conceptus, -al 1
Explanation
Something is conceptual when it deals primarily with abstract or original thoughts. A conceptual plan is one in an early stage. To make it work, you'll need to flesh out the details. Conceptual art is art in which the concept seems more important than the physical aspects of the artwork. In New York's Museum of Modern Art, you can see Marcel DuChamp's conceptual piece, "Bicycle Wheel," which is a bicycle wheel mounted on a stool. Why is this art? The concept, or idea, behind it is that everyday objects become art when looked at outside of their uses. In general, when something is conceptual it takes a bit of thought to figure it out.
Vocabulary lists containing conceptual
On a Pedestal: Marble-ous Words for Sculpture
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Awkward
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"Building Design and Construction Handbook," Vocabulary from Section 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Deciding to purchase a CD is just a conceptual first step, because CDs need to be shopped.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026
The organisation says this is because it has a different methodology and asks more direct questions than most other polls, which it says are more conceptual in nature.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
This is the best-case scenario, because the problem pushes us in new conceptual directions that often have value far beyond the original problem—and sometimes beyond mathematics itself.
From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2026
"It's true that we're witnessing a conceptual victory for Macron," said Duclos.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
Whereas visual vocabulary tends to be more detailed, we lack nuanced conceptual words to describe sound and our relationship to it.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
