categorically
/kæt.əˈɡɒ.ɹɪk.(ə.)li/
categorically adverb: by the use of categories; defining a category; defined by, or corollary to, a category.
Adverb
categorically (comparative more categorically, superlative most categorically)
- By the use of categories; defining a category; defined by, or corollary to, a category.
- Near-synonyms: (sometimes synonymous) generically, classically, typically
- a welfare scheme for the categorically needy
- Synonyms:
- generically, classically, typically
- Antonyms:
- instantially, on a case-by-case basis
- Absolutely; in all regards (leaving no doubt or ambiguity).
- She categorically denied all allegations of misconduct.
- The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has categorically ruled out any new negotiations saying the future of the Falklands can only be decided by the islanders themselves in accordance with the UN principle of self-determination.2013 January 3, Luke Harding, Uki Goni, The Guardian
- Synonyms:
- truly, wholly, totally, completely, absolutely, all-out, tout à fait, all the way, stone-cold, blind
- Antonyms:
- partially, partly, in a way, to an extent
Synonyms of categorically
- generically
- classically
- typically
- truly
- wholly
- totally
- completely
- absolutely
- all-out
- tout à fait
30 more synonymsFewer synonyms
- all the way
- stone-cold
- blind
- altogether
- stark
- cold
- cap-a-pie
- detailly
- downright
- entirely
- exhaustively
- finally
- first and last
- flat-out
- flat out
- from aardvark to zymurgy
- from A to Z
- from head to toe
- from soup to nuts
- from stem to stern
- from the rooter to the tooter
- from top to bottom
- from top to toe
- fully
- handsomely
- heartily
- head to foot
- head to tail
- head to toe
- hook
Antonyms
- instantially
- on a case-by-case basis
- partially
- partly
- in a way
- to an extent
- exceptionally
- conditionally
Forms of categorically
| comparative | more categorically |
|---|---|
| superlative | most categorically |
Origin of categorically
From categorical + -ly.
Words formed from categorically
Questions about categorically
- What does categorically mean?
- Categorically means by the use of categories; defining a category; defined by, or corollary to, a category.
- What part of speech is categorically?
- Categorically is an adverb.
- How do you pronounce categorically?
- Categorically is pronounced /kæt.əˈɡɒ.ɹɪk.(ə.)li/ (UK).
Words near categorically in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: categorically (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-categorically.wav.
Cite this entry: “categorically.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/categorically. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.