categorical

/ˌkætəˈɡɒrɪkl/ (bre, ipa) · [kˌætəɡˈɔrɪkəl] /ˌkætəˈɡɔːrɪkl/ (ame, ipa) · [kˌætəɡˈɑrɪkəl] /ˌka-tə-ˈgȯr-i-kəl How to pronounce categorical (audio) -ˈgär-/ (ame, mw)

categorical — adjective

  • categoricalpositive
  • more categoricalcomparative
  • most categoricalsuperlative

1. said so firmly and definitely that it leaves no room for argument, doubt, or cha

1.形容詞C1
釋義

said so firmly and definitely that it leaves no room for argument, doubt, or change.

例句

The minister gave a categorical no when reporters asked about raising taxes.

categorical no = complete refusal

Ritu issued a categorical denial after the school accused the team captain of cheating.

同義詞
  • unequivocal

    more formal and often used in public statements or official writing.

  • definite

    more everyday; it does not always sound as forceful as 'categorical'.

  • unqualified

    stresses that no condition or limitation has been added.

反義詞
  • qualified

    limited by conditions, exceptions, or reservations.

  • tentative

    not final and still open to change.

  • uncertain

    showing doubt rather than a firm position.

文法句型

categorical + noun

be + categorical + that-clause

make it categorical + that-clause

用法筆記

Often appears with words such as denial, refusal, reply, and assurance. When it follows be, it commonly introduces a that-clause stating the speaker's firm position. Distinguish this from sense 2, which is about grouping information by type.

常見錯誤

❌The manager gave a careful refusal to the request.
✅The manager gave a categorical refusal to the request.
💡'categorical' stresses firmness and no room for change, not politeness or caution.

2. used for something that sorts, studies, or describes things by putting them into

2.形容詞C1
釋義

used for something that sorts, studies, or describes things by putting them into named groups.

例句

The survey uses categorical labels such as age, region, and job type.

categorical labels in grouped data

In biology class, Lien compared categorical traits with measurements like height.

同義詞
  • classificatory

    more technical and especially used in academic writing about systems of grouping.

  • taxonomic

    used when the grouping is part of a formal classification system, especially in science.

反義詞
  • numerical

    based on numbers or measurements rather than named groups.

  • continuous

    in statistics, varying across a range rather than falling into fixed categories.

文法句型

categorical + noun

be + categorical

categorical + data/system/variable

用法筆記

This sense is common in logic, statistics, and other classification work. It usually modifies words like data, labels, variables, or systems. Unlike sense 1, it does not express certainty or firmness.

常見錯誤

❌The survey is category, not numerical.
✅The survey data is categorical, not numerical.
💡Use the adjective 'categorical' when talking about data or variables grouped by type.