Empirical can still be used critically to describe ideas and practices that rely on experience or observation alone and without due regard for system or theory.

EMPIRICAL definition: derived from or guided by direct experience or by experiment, rather than abstract principles or theory. See examples of empirical used in a sentence.

Empirical evidence or study relies on practical experience rather than theories. There is no empirical evidence to support his thesis.

Definition of empirical adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

1. a. Relying on or derived from observation or experiment: empirical results that supported the hypothesis. b. Verifiable or provable by means of observation or experiment: empirical laws. 2. …

EMPIRICAL meaning: 1. based on what is experienced or seen rather than on theory: 2. based on what is experienced or…. Learn more.

empirical, adj. & n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

Empirical evidence is evidence obtained through sense experience or experimental procedure. [1] It is of central importance to the sciences and plays a role in various other fields, like epistemology and law.

Feb 26, 2026 · Adjective empirical (comparative more empirical, superlative most empirical) Pertaining to or based on experience, as opposed to theory.

Mar 6, 2026 · An empirical study is research based on direct observation or measurement of real-world phenomena, rather than on theory, logic, or personal belief alone. If a researcher collects data by …