# notional

/ˈnoʊʃənəɫ/ (US) · /nˈəʊʃənəl/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/notional
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

existing only as an idea, not as something real. You use it when something is theoretical or imagined rather than actual.

For teachers: existing only in theory or as an idea, without real or practical existence. Often describes amounts, values, or distinctions used for calculation or analysis rather than representing actual things.

## Examples

- The profit is notional until they sell the house.
- The fund reports a notional value of ten million dollars for risk calculations, though far less cash actually changes hands.
- Economists warned that the bank's notional exposure to derivatives vastly exceeded its tangible assets, creating a fragile structure that could collapse if market confidence faltered.

## Synonyms

theoretical, hypothetical, imaginary

## Antonyms

real, actual

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