empirically
adverb
em·pir·i·cal·ly
im-ˈpir-i-k(ə-)lē 
em-
: in an empirical manner : with a basis in or reliance on information obtained through observation, experiment, or experience
a theory that has not yet been tested empirically
… using Tycho Brahe's most exhaustive astronomical observations in history, Kepler had empirically demonstrated that the planets orbit elliptically.—
Charles Krauthammer
Charles KrauthammerThe statistical models were flawed, the defense maintained, noting that none had been empirically tested.—Simon Cole
Simon ColeExamples of empirically in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
No one can say exactly where Trump is taking the country, but those who worry about the breakdown of essential public services, the spilling of national-security secrets, and national paralysis in the face of natural disasters are empirically grounded in their concerns.
—Richard A. Friedman, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
His claims to victimhood, Karp pointed out, were empirically untrue but extraordinarily effective.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
One consensus that experts seem to arrive at is that the efficacy of any kind of therapy, whether it’s deemed as empirically backed or happens face-to-face versus video call, depends on what the patient first and foremost hopes for.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025
The impact of those disruptions can be tracked empirically, as the box office has failed to fully rebound from the pandemic.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for empirically
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Richard A. Friedman, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
His claims to victimhood, Karp pointed out, were empirically untrue but extraordinarily effective.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
One consensus that experts seem to arrive at is that the efficacy of any kind of therapy, whether it’s deemed as empirically backed or happens face-to-face versus video call, depends on what the patient first and foremost hopes for.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025
The impact of those disruptions can be tracked empirically, as the box office has failed to fully rebound from the pandemic.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for empirically
Cite this Entry
“Empirically.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empirically. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
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