What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
clinical
Example
The doctor conducted a clinical examination to determine the cause of the patient's symptoms. [clinical: adjective]
Example
She is currently doing her clinical rotation at the local hospital. [clinical: noun]
empirical
Example
The scientist conducted an empirical study to test the effectiveness of the new drug. [empirical: adjective]
Example
His conclusions were based on empirical evidence gathered from years of research. [empirical: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Clinical is more commonly used than empirical in everyday language, especially in healthcare settings. Empirical is more commonly used in academic and scientific contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between clinical and empirical?
While clinical is typically associated with a formal and professional tone, empirical can be used in both formal and informal contexts, depending on the field of study or research.
