English Reference

Word

experiential

Phoneticsex·pe·ri·en·tial

US/ɛkˌspɛɹiˈɛnʃəɫ/

UK/ɛkspˌiəɹɪˈɛnʃəl/

Definition

adj. describing something that you learn or understand by doing it yourself rather than just reading or hearing about it. It is often used to describe types of travel or education.

adj. relating to or involving direct experience or participation. Often used to describe educational methods or travel experiences that emphasize hands-on learning.

Examples

“The school offers an experiential learning program for students.”

“Many travelers now prefer experiential holidays that involve local communities rather than just sightseeing.”

“The curriculum was redesigned to be more experiential, requiring students to apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems through internships and fieldwork.”

Examples

simple

“The school offers an experiential learning program for students.”

contextual

“Many travelers now prefer experiential holidays that involve local communities rather than just sightseeing.”

complex

“The curriculum was redesigned to be more experiential, requiring students to apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems through internships and fieldwork.”

Real-World Examples

“It was a unique opportunity for Virginia Tech students to engage in authentic project-based, experiential learning work with real-world partners.”
Phys.org · 9 Sept 2026
“This study suggests that schools can provide, in regular classroom settings, experiential, playful and socially connected spaces that support the most vulnerable adolescents.”
Phys.org · 11 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Latin experientiālis, from experientia + -ālis.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

experienceNounexperiencedAdjectiveexperientialAdjective

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/experiential

English Reference