Synonyms

observational

American

[ob-zur-vey-shuh-nl] / ˌɒb zɜrˈveɪ ʃə nl /

adjective

of, relating to, or founded on observation, especially founded on observation rather than experiment.

Other Word Forms

nonobservational adjective
observationally adverb
preobservational adjective

Etymology

Origin of observational

First recorded in 1825–35; observation + -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.

She lost her sight aged 17, five years ago, and says her more observational tics, such as focusing on peoples' physical appearances, have since lessened.

From BBC

They used both observational data and genetic techniques to assess whether blood levels of phenylalanine and tyrosine were related to overall mortality and predicted lifespan.

From Science Daily

Mr. Llamazares’s writing is finely observational and often delicate: “My submachine-gun leaves a shadow of death on the ground like an elongated ear of wheat,” Ángel notices.

From The Wall Street Journal

It's also worth remembering that this was an observational study, meaning it shows associations rather than cause and effect.

From Science Daily

Because this was an observational study, it cannot prove that lower sugar intake directly caused better heart outcomes.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023