How to Use categorical in a Sentence

categorical

adjective
  • He issued a categorical denial about his involvement in the deal.
  • This language is stronger and more categorical than that for strict scrutiny.
    — Kevin Cope, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
  • This is not to say that presenting Bach on the piano is any sort of categorical mistake.
    — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 14 May 2018
  • My own victories over gout are less categorical.
    — Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
  • This is the first time these categorical rhythms have been identified in a nonhuman mammal.
    — Sam Jones, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2021
  • Its $8 million salary pool is one of its two largest categorical allocation of funds.
    — Ben Pickman, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
  • This perhaps would point to the idea that people are sticking to their standbys—at least from a categorical perspective—at this time.
    — Rachel King, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2020
  • By the time the laggards begin, that gap may be categorical rather than incremental.
    — Manu Khetan, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • For me, that image is the absolute categorical picture of what solitude is.
    — Rachel Handler, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2021
  • The categorical exceptions comprise most of the statute’s text.
    — Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Sep. 2019
  • Jackson is categorical in his own defense.
    — Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
  • The team's analysis revealed that indris follow a set of patterns known as categorical rhythms.
    — Rasha Aridi, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Oct. 2021
  • Proving those types of categorical distinctions is among the hardest and most important open problems in the field.
    — Quanta Magazine, 16 July 2018
  • State aid payments are scheduled by statute, but categorical payments are not governed by the law or a court order, Pallasch said.
    — Suzanne Baker, Naperville Sun, 16 May 2017
  • Describing something as ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’ tends to fall into more of a rigid categorical thinking narrative.
    — Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
  • At this point, the next logical step is for the committee to follow up on this allegation and the categorical denial from the judge.
    — Fox News, 24 Sep. 2018
  • The researchers wanted to see if the black-and-white lemurs had categorical rhythm — the ability to create different types of rhythm patterns.
    — Megan Marples, CNN, 25 Oct. 2021
  • Our best outdoor dinnerware picks are based on testing results in our lab and at home, deep categorical knowledge and industry insight.
    — Myo Quinn, Good Housekeeping, 27 Apr. 2022
  • In light of the concerns about the impacts of satellites on the night sky, Ryan says, this categorical exclusion would be unlikely to stand up in a court of law.
    — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 16 Jan. 2020
  • That replaced the categorical approach, which took a more binary view of mental syndromes and assessed whether conditions were present or not.
    — David Adam, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Aug. 2023
  • Hinkle, in his ruling, said the state claims its actions are not a categorical ban because applicants can still apply for a waiver to be exempted.
    — Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2024
  • The campaign’s statement was followed hours later by a categorical denial from the congressman.
    — Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
  • And the numbers are even lower in the many states passing categorical bans on sports participation for transgender athletes of all ages.
    — Chase Strangio, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Expand state support to mental health and pupil support categorical aid to nearly $60 million.
    — Annysa Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12 Nov. 2020
  • The 391 schools are not ranked in an overall list, but the company also released 50 categorical lists that did rank the schools.
    — Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2025
  • An enhanced risk is a three out of five on the categorical scale measuring the risk for thunderstorms that could produce damaging wind gusts, large hail, or tornadoes.
    — Dennis Mersereau, Forbes, 27 May 2021
  • With no cup football or match load to hide behind, this was a firm, categorical choice by Farke to make Darlow his first choice and Perri his back-up.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2026
  • The Chronicle looked at projects on Cortese list sites for which the city granted or considered categorical exemptions.
    — Cynthia Dizikes, SFChronicle.com, 7 June 2020
  • The measure passed Wednesday stops short of a categorical ban that some have sought, but was still met with cautious optimism by traffic safety reformers.
    — Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
  • At least on the surface, there seems to be a categorical difference between descriptions of the material and descriptions of the mind.
    — Conor Feehly, Big Think, 10 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'categorical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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