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

Etymology

Origin of observational

First recorded in 1825–35; observation + -al ¹

Vocabulary lists containing observational

Part 4 Vocabulary & Literary Terms (Unit 3)

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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.

These studies were observational, which differs from research done on drugs to study intended effects.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Such observational research alone doesn’t prove that natural food colors harm health.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

They repeatedly compared their calculations with climate simulations and observational data, refining the equations over several months until the models aligned with reality.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2026

However, observational data alone cannot prove cause and effect.

From Science Daily • May 6, 2026

Tycho was the greatest observational genius of the age, and Kepler the greatest theoretician.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

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