Words / C1

kat-uh-GOR-ikl/ˌkætəˈɡɒrɪkl/

Categorical means expressed clearly and without any doubt: a categorical denial, a categorical no. Absolute is a close synonym; definite is everyday and milder. Categorically is the adverb (deny categorically). It is not the adjective of category (that is categorical only in old logic; in modern English use category as the noun). In speech, flat / out-and-out is enough. A categorical claim still needs to be true.

Meaning

Expressed clearly and without any doubt.

Examples

• “She issued a categorical denial.”
• “She issued a categorical denial; later emails complicated the story.”
• “I need a categorical answer: is the lab free on Thursday or not?”

Good to know

Absolute; no ifs. Adverb: categorically. Everyday: definite / flat. Not “of a category”. Close: absolute.

Near in meaning

absolute

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