anecdotally
anecdotally — adverb
1. in a way that comes from people's personal stories and experiences, not from org
in a way that comes from people's personal stories and experiences, not from organised study or proven facts
Ananya knew, anecdotally, that the new bus route was always late.
knew, anecdotally,
Gabriel had heard anecdotally that the corner café served wonderful coffee.
The head teacher worried that her decision relied too much on anecdotally gathered feedback.
Anecdotally, the volunteer noticed that more families came when it rained.
Raj learned anecdotally from fellow drivers which petrol station was cheapest.
- informally
broader; does not necessarily imply a personal story behind the information
- unscientifically
stronger and more technical; explicitly criticises the method
- by hearsay
more conversational and often suggests the information is unreliable
- systematically
using a planned method rather than personal stories
- empirically
based on observation or experiment, not anecdotes
文法句型
anecdotally + verb of knowing/hearing/learning
用法筆記
Frequently pairs with verbs of perception or indirect learning: heard, learned, known, reported, gathered.
常見錯誤
anecdotally — adjective
1. describing information that comes from what people have seen or heard themselves
describing information that comes from what people have seen or heard themselves, rather than from a carefully planned study or checked facts
Ayanda warned that the success stories were only anecdotal evidence, nothing more.
anecdotal evidence
Haruto's anecdotal report on the new software convinced no one at the meeting.
The doctor listened to the patient's anecdotal account but still ordered a proper test.
Jamal collected anecdotal data from twenty neighbours before calling the council.
A single anecdotal observation is not enough to change the school's safety policy.
- unscientific
stronger criticism; implies the method itself is flawed, not just informal
- hearsay
specifically about spoken reports passed between people, not written accounts
- unverified
focuses on lack of confirmation rather than the storytelling source
- systematic
carried out using a fixed, careful plan or method
- empirical
based on direct observation or experiment, not stories
- rigorous
thorough and carefully controlled
文法句型
anecdotal + evidence/report/account/data/observation
用法筆記
Often used before 'evidence' or 'report' to signal that the information has not been scientifically verified. Distinguish from sense 2, which describes literary form rather than the basis of a claim.
常見錯誤
2. in the form of, or similar to, a short personal story — often amusing or unusual
in the form of, or similar to, a short personal story — often amusing or unusual
Gabriela told an anecdotal tale about getting lost in Lisbon on her first day.
The book's anecdotal style made the history lesson feel like a chat over tea.
anecdotal style
Lucas enjoyed the speaker's anecdotal opening more than the formal lecture that followed.
The podcast episode was filled with anecdotal interludes between the main interviews.
Sanjay wrote an anecdotal piece for the magazine about his grandmother's cooking lessons.
- story-like
more informal and child-oriented; does not carry the specific sense of a brief, true-life tale
- narrative
broader; applies to any told sequence of events, not necessarily short or personal
文法句型
anecdotal + style/tale/quality/piece
用法筆記
Describes the form or character of a piece of writing or speech, not the quality of its evidence. Distinguish from sense 1: an 'anecdotal report' (sense 1) is one based on personal accounts; an 'anecdotal style' (sense 2) is one that reads like a story.
常見錯誤
3. good at telling short, interesting stories about things that have happened; ofte
good at telling short, interesting stories about things that have happened; often describing a person who loves sharing anecdotes
Ananya's anecdotal grandfather could keep the whole dinner table laughing for hours.
anecdotal grandfather
The bus driver was so anecdotal that passengers sometimes missed their stops listening.
Kwame became the most anecdotal member of the club after his third hiking trip.
Lucas's anecdotal colleague brightened every Monday morning meeting with a fresh story.
Even as a new teacher, Gabriela was warmly anecdotal, sharing classroom tales with parents.
- talkative
does not imply storytelling skill, only a tendency to talk a lot
- garrulous
negative connotation; suggests talking too much about trivial things
- conversational
describes a style of speech, not a person's habitual character
文法句型
anecdotal + person noun (grandfather, speaker, colleague)
用法筆記
Almost always describes a person. Distinguish from sense 2: 'an anecdotal speaker' (sense 3) means the speaker is skilled at telling anecdotes; 'an anecdotal speech' (sense 2) means the speech itself resembles an anecdote.