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

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

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.

Dec 21, 2025 · empirical (plural empiricals) A measurement or result achieved by empirical means.

Factsheet What does the word empirical mean? There are ten meanings listed in OED's entry for the word empirical. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

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

They collected plenty of empirical data/evidence from their experiments. Her theory had not yet been tested empirically.

If knowledge is empirical, it's based on observation rather than theory. To do an empirical study of donut shops, you'll need to visit every one you can find. Empirical looks like empire but comes from a …