empirical

Main Entry:
empirical [em-pir-i-kuhl]
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: practical
Synonyms: empiric, experient, experiential, experimental, factual, observational, observed, pragmatic, provisional, speculative
Notes: empirical describes results determined by experiment and observed behavior or facts; theoretical describes results that are based on guesswork or hypothesis - and pragmatic is contrasted with theoretical on the grounds that the former proceeds from what is demonstrably practical, the latter from conjecture
Antonyms: conjectural, hypothetical, impractical, theoretic, theoretical, unobserved, unproved
Main Entry: experimental
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: exploratory
Synonyms: beginning, developmental, empirical, experiential, first stage, laboratory, momentary, on approval, pilot, preliminary, preparatory, primary, probationary, provisional, speculative, temporary, tentative, test, trial, trial-and-error, unconcluded, under probation, unproved
Antonyms: proven, tested, tried
Main Entry: practical
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: realistic, useful
Synonyms: applied, both feet on the ground, businesslike, commonsensical, constructive, doable, down-to-earth, efficient, empirical, experimental, factual, feasible, functional, handy, hard-boiled, implicit, in action, in operation, matter-of-fact, nuts and bolts, operative, orderly, possible, practicable, pragmatic, rational, reasonable, sane, sensible, serviceable, sober, solid, sound, systematic, unidealistic, unromantic, usable, utile, utilitarian, virtual, workable, workaday, working
Notes: practical applies when what is in question is the conduct of affairs, whereas pragmatic applies when the question is the planning with respect to these affairs; practical is anything that can be done and is worth doing, while practicable is anything that can be done - worthwhile or not
Antonyms: impossible, impractical, unfeasible, unrealistic, unserviceable, unworkable, useless, worthless
Main Entry: a posteriori
Part of Speech: adjective/adverb
Definition: involving reasoning from facts
Synonyms: analytical, empirical, experimental, from the latter, inducible, inductive, logical, practical
Antonyms: a priori
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