Meaning & use

categorical

adjective·Academic

Last updated

Stated absolutely and without exception or qualification; unconditional.

See it in a sentence

The spokesperson issued a categorical denial of the allegations.

Philosophers debate whether moral rules should be treated as categorical or open to circumstance.

A note on using this word

In philosophy, Immanuel Kant's "categorical imperative" describes a moral rule that holds true universally, without exception or condition.

Words with a similar meaning

absoluteunconditionalunequivocal

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Words with an opposite meaning

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