anecdotal evidence

noun

A limited selection of examples which support or refute an argument, but which are not supported by scientific or statistical analysis.

Opposite
empirical evidencescientific evidence
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Meanings

nounanecdotal evidence (uncountable)
  1. uncountableA limited selection of examples which support or refute an argument, but which are not supported by scientific or statistical analysis.

    Tens of thousands of Portuguese, Greek and Irish people have left their homelands this year, many heading for the southern hemisphere. Anecdotal evidence points to the same happening in Spain and Italy.

    2011 December 21, Helen Pidd, “Europeans migrate south as continent drifts deeper into crisis”, in the Guardian

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
empirical evidencescientific evidence

Translations

German anekdotische Belege, vereinzelte Belege
  • anekdotische Belegeexamples
  • vereinzelte Belegeexamples
  • sporadische Hinweiseexamples
Spanish pruebas anecdóticas
  • pruebas anecdóticasexamples
Ukrainian анекдоти́чні до́кази
  • анекдоти́чні до́кази (anekdotýčni dókazy)examples
Cite this entry
APA

anecdotal evidence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anecdotal%20evidence

MLA

“anecdotal evidence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anecdotal%20evidence. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “anecdotal evidence,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anecdotal%20evidence.

Source: anecdotal evidence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.