An adverb describing a manner of reporting or relating information based on personal accounts, stories, or anecdotes rather than empirical evidence or scientific data. It implies a reliance on subjective experiences and informal narratives to convey a point or illustrate a phenomenon. This approach is often used in discussions where formal statistics are not available or deemed unnecessary, but it may lack rigor and reliability.
Anecdotally meaning with examples
- In discussing the effects of climate change, experts often speak anecdotally about unusual weather patterns they’ve observed in their own regions, emphasizing personal experiences rather than relying solely on charts and graphs, which can sometimes feel disconnected from real life, making the issue more relatable to the public.
- During the meeting, she shared anecdotally that several colleagues had experienced burnout during the intense project, using their stories to illustrate the importance of work-life balance. While informative, these accounts highlighted the stress everyone faced rather than providing statistical evidence to back up her claims.
- The marketing team reviewed customer feedback anecdotally, interpreting individual testimonials as indicators of broader trends in consumer preference. Although these stories were compelling, they acknowledged the need to complement these narratives with quantitative data to make more accurate business decisions.
- While discussing health benefits, the speaker referred anecdotally to friends who had experienced remarkable results from a new diet. Although the personal stories were engaging and persuasive, they recognized that these individual cases should not replace scientific research that provides a more comprehensive understanding.