anecdotal
- 01 C1 Advanced
describes information based on personal stories or individual examples rather than hard facts or scientific research.
referring to evidence based on personal accounts or isolated incidents rather than rigorous, systematic investigation or statistical analysis.
Simple“There is anecdotal evidence that the new herb helps sleep, but no scientific studies prove it yet.”
In context“While the anecdotal reports from patients were encouraging, the clinical trial failed to demonstrate a statistically significant benefit over the placebo.”
UsageFrequently collocates with 'evidence', 'reports', or 'accounts'.
Teacher's tipIn academic writing, this word often carries a slightly negative tone, suggesting that the information might not be reliable.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
describes a style of speaking or writing that uses a lot of short, interesting stories about real people.
characterised by or containing a high frequency of anecdotes; relating to the narrative style of an anecdote.
Simple“The professor gave an anecdotal talk about his years working in the jungle.”
In context“The biography was highly anecdotal, focusing more on charming personal stories than on a rigorous analysis of the subject's political legacy.”
UsageCan be used to describe a person's style or a specific piece of writing.
Synonymsnarrativestory based
“There are anecdotal reports of women who, after being prescribed Allegra or Pepcid for hives or reflux, noticed improvements in their hot flashes.”
“A human financial adviser would immediately flag these areas for consideration: a modest income, children, a high-risk investment and anecdotal advice from the cousin.”
From anecdote + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.