observational
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of observational
First recorded in 1825–35; observation + -al 1
Vocabulary lists containing observational
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.
The majority of the studies on UPFs that make headlines are observational papers looking at associations between self-reported food intake and health outcomes—these tell us little about whether UPFs actually cause ill health.
From Slate ● Jul. 12, 2026
While none have been confirmed as alien megastructures, Amiri's work provides astronomers with another set of observational clues that could help distinguish genuine technosignatures from natural cosmic phenomena.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
Equally at home in shadowy dives and modern mansions, she proves an adept investigator, with Sherlockian observational skills.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
On June 9, he’s launching “Tea & Scotch” on YouTube, which delves into more observational comedy subjects such as ghost-seeing cats, AI paranoia and parenting a teenager.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
Both theories lack observational evidence: no one has ever seen a giant tortoise with the earth on its back, but then, no one has seen a superstring either.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
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.
