Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for metaphysical. Search instead for metaphyseal.
Synonyms

metaphysical

American  
[met-uh-fiz-i-kuhl] / ˌmɛt əˈfɪz ɪ kəl /

adjective

  1. pertaining to or of the nature of metaphysics.

  2. Philosophy.

    1. concerned with abstract thought or subjects, as existence, causality, or truth.

    2. concerned with first principles and ultimate grounds, as being, time, or substance.

  3. highly abstract, subtle, or abstruse.

  4. designating or pertaining to the poetry of an early group of 17th-century English poets, notably John Donne, whose characteristic style is highly intellectual and philosophical and features intensive use of ingenious conceits and turns of wit.

  5. Archaic. imaginary or fanciful.

metaphysical 1 British  
/ ˌmɛtəˈfɪzɪkəl /

adjective

  1. relating to or concerned with metaphysics

  2. (of a statement or theory) having the form of an empirical hypothesis, but in fact immune from empirical testing and therefore (in the view of the logical positivists) literally meaningless

  3. (popularly) abstract, abstruse, or unduly theoretical

  4. incorporeal; supernatural

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Metaphysical 2 British  
/ ˌmɛtəˈfɪzɪkəl /

adjective

  1. denoting or relating to certain 17th-century poets who combined intense feeling with ingenious thought and often used elaborate imagery and conceits. Notable among them were Donne, Herbert, and Marvell

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a poet of this group

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • antimetaphysical adjective
  • antimetaphysically adverb
  • hypermetaphysical adjective
  • metaphysically adverb
  • nonmetaphysical adjective
  • nonmetaphysically adverb
  • quasi-metaphysical adjective
  • quasi-metaphysically adverb
  • unmetaphysical adjective
  • unmetaphysically adverb

Etymology

Origin of metaphysical

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English metaphisicalle, from Medieval Latin metaphysicālis; equivalent to metaphysic + -al 1

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.

Where this story takes place — which metaphysical realm it’s actually set in — is skimmed over entirely.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

But it wasn’t normal for her mom to be “channeling metaphysical data,” says Harmony.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 8, 2025

Any claim of further metaphysical elements is unnecessary froth at best or a damnable distraction at worst.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

Wellness has become the new luxury, but with a metaphysical twist.

From Barron's • Nov. 1, 2025

Unburdened by Oppie’s metaphysical brooding, Ernest Lawrence eagerly accepted public accolades for his role in ending the war.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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.