Word

empiricism

noun C1

/ɛmˈpɪrɪˌsɪzəm/

Meanings

noun

the belief that knowledge should be based on observation and experience

noun

a method or practice of relying on evidence from experiments and data rather than speculation

Definition

Empiricism is the view that knowledge comes mainly from observation and experience rather than pure reasoning.

Empiricism is a philosophical approach that emphasizes learning through observation, measurement, and practical experience. It treats evidence from the senses as the main basis for forming and testing ideas. In many fields, it contrasts with approaches that rely primarily on abstract theory or intuition without direct evidence.

Examples

In her dissertation, she defends empiricism by showing how careful observation can correct elegant but misleading theories.
After years of debating models, I returned to empiricism and rebuilt my argument around what the data actually show.
Their team’s empiricism kept the project grounded, because every claim had to survive repeated testing under changing conditions.
As a critic of sweeping generalizations, he values empiricism and asks for concrete evidence before accepting broad conclusions.

Common mistake

Learners often confuse empiricism (knowledge from observation and experience) with empiric (based on practical experience) or empirical (based on evidence).