Meaning & use
anecdotal
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivebefore a noun
Based on personal stories or individual cases rather than systematic research or verified facts.
Grammar: Most often used before a noun: anecdotal evidence. Not gradable in careful use.
Patterns
- anecdotal evidence
- anecdotal reports
- purely anecdotal
There is no solid data yet — only anecdotal reports from a few users.
His claim that the remedy works is purely anecdotal, with no clinical trials behind it.
Common combinations
- anecdotal evidence
- Anecdotal evidence suggested the new schedule helped, but a study was needed.
- purely anecdotal
- Her theory about the best study method is purely anecdotal.
- anecdotal reports
- Anecdotal reports of side effects led doctors to investigate further.
Synonyms and how they differ
- unverified
- Unverified stresses that something has not been checked; anecdotal stresses that it comes from personal accounts.
- informal
- Informal means casual or unofficial; anecdotal specifically points to story-based rather than data-based claims.
Opposites
Word family
- anecdote noun
- A short, personal story about a real event.
- anecdotally adverb
- According to personal accounts rather than data: 'anecdotally, sales are up.'
Commonly confused: anecdotal or antidote?
anecdotal vs antidote
Antidote is a medicine that counteracts poison; anecdotal comes from anecdote, a short personal story.
Practice
What does 'anecdotal' suggest about the evidence in this sentence? 'The benefits of the tea are anecdotal at best.'
Choose one answer.
Anecdotal evidence comes from individual accounts and stories rather than controlled studies, so it is not proof. The phrase 'at best' signals doubt.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “anecdotal”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.