meta·phys·i·cal
ˌme-tə-ˈfi-zi-kəl 
1
: of or relating to metaphysics
metaphysical truth
metaphysical speculation
2
a
: of or relating to the transcendent (see transcendent sense 1) or to a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses
… fleeing from experience to a metaphysical realm …—
John Dewey
John Dewey
b
: supernatural
… fate and metaphysical aid doth seem to have thee crown'd …—William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare3
: highly abstract or abstruse
4
often Metaphysical
: of or relating to poetry especially of the early 17th century that is highly intellectual and philosophical and marked by unconventional figurative language
metaphysical poets
: a metaphysical poet of the 17th century
Synonyms of metaphysical
Examples of metaphysical in a Sentence
Adjective
a metaphysical world of spirits
a work that deals with such metaphysical questions as the very nature of knowledge
Recent Examples on the Web
James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Conversations might turn to metaphysical issues or charitable activities.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 2 May 2026
Glenn Turner, the former owner of a pagan and metaphysical shop, is running as a member of the Green Party.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Matarrese delves into the history underlying these two women’s longstanding feud and arrives at a tragicomic, inventive meditation on the metaphysical possibility of reconciliation and forgiveness.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for metaphysical
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Adjective
Say that a human life is a metaphysical experiment—though one that, by and large, refuses to think of itself as such.
—James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Conversations might turn to metaphysical issues or charitable activities.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 2 May 2026
Glenn Turner, the former owner of a pagan and metaphysical shop, is running as a member of the Green Party.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Matarrese delves into the history underlying these two women’s longstanding feud and arrives at a tragicomic, inventive meditation on the metaphysical possibility of reconciliation and forgiveness.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for metaphysical
Cite this Entry
“Metaphysical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metaphysical. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
metaphysical
adjective
meta·phys·i·cal
ˌmet-ə-ˈfiz-i-kəl
1
: of, relating to, or based on metaphysics
3
: difficult to understand : abstract
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