quantitative

quantitative — adjective

1. relating to the measurable size, amount, or number of something, rather than its

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to the measurable size, amount, or number of something, rather than its type or quality — for example, a quantitative change tells you how much something has increased or decreased, not how it has changed in nature.

Example

The marketing team reviewed quantitative data from the latest customer survey.

collocation: quantitative data

Kofi found a clear quantitative difference between this year's harvest and last year's.

Common collocations
  • quantitative data
  • quantitative analysis
  • quantitative change
  • quantitative difference
  • quantitative measure
  • quantitative evidence
Synonyms
  • numerical

    more general; 'numerical data' simply means data in number form, while 'quantitative data' suggests the data is used for measurement or analysis

  • measurable

    focuses on the ability to be measured rather than the act of measuring; 'measurable progress' is possible but 'quantitative progress' sounds odd

  • statistical

    narrower — refers specifically to data analyzed through statistics, while 'quantitative' covers any number-based description

Antonyms
  • qualitative

    the direct opposite; qualitative information describes qualities or types, while quantitative measures amounts or counts

Grammar Patterns

quantitative + noun (data, analysis, change, difference)

Usage Note

Overwhelmingly used before a noun (attributive position). Common in business, science, and academic writing. The noun it modifies is almost always abstract (data, change, analysis, difference) rather than concrete.

Common Mistakes

We need quantitive data to make a decision.
We need quantitative data to make a decision.
'Quantitative' is the correct spelling; 'quantitive' is a common misspelling.
The quantitative of students increased.
The number of students increased.
'Quantitative' is an adjective, not a noun. Use 'quantity' or 'number' instead.

2. using numerical measurement and statistical methods as a deliberate system for s

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

using numerical measurement and statistical methods as a deliberate system for studying or describing something — for example, a quantitative study counts how many people hold a certain opinion, while a qualitative study asks them to explain their views in their own words.

Example

The university offers courses in both quantitative and qualitative research methods.

contrast with 'qualitative'

Lan chose a quantitative approach for her study on customer satisfaction.

collocation: quantitative approach

Common collocations
  • quantitative research
  • quantitative method
  • quantitative approach
  • quantitative study
  • quantitative survey
  • quantitative analysis
Synonyms
  • statistical

    narrower — quantitative methods may or may not involve statistical testing; 'statistical methods' always do

  • empirical

    broader — empirical research can be either quantitative or qualitative; quantitative is one type of empirical approach

Antonyms
  • qualitative

    the opposite research paradigm; qualitative research explores meaning and experience through interviews, observations, and text analysis rather than numbers

Grammar Patterns

quantitative + noun (research, method, approach, study, survey)

Usage Note

Frequently paired with 'qualitative' to describe two main research paradigms. A study can use both approaches together — this is called 'mixed methods.' This sense is especially common in social sciences, education, and market research.

Common Mistakes

We did a quantitative research.
We did quantitative research.
'Research' is an uncountable noun and does not take 'a' before it.
Quantitative methods are more better than qualitative ones.
Quantitative methods are more objective than qualitative ones.
Quantitative methods aim for objectivity through numbers, but are not inherently 'better'; avoid comparative grammar errors ('more better').

Word family

  • quantity
    nounB1
  • quantify
    verbB2
  • quantifiable
    adjectiveC1
  • quantification
    nounC1
  • quantitatively
    adverbC1
  • quantitativeness
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These five terms describe different ways of relating to numbers and measurement. 'Quantitative' is the broadest — it covers anything expressed in amounts or counts ('quantitative data', 'quantitative change'). 'Numerical' overlaps but is simpler: it simply means 'in number form' without the research-system connotation ('a numerical code', 'numerical order'). 'Qualitative' is the direct opposite — it describes qualities, categories, or types rather than amounts. 'Measurable' focuses on whether something can be measured at all ('measurable progress'), while 'quantitative' assumes measurement is actually being used. 'Statistical' is narrower, applying only where formal statistics are involved ('statistical significance'). In academic writing, choose 'quantitative' when contrasting methods or describing data types; choose 'numerical' for everyday number-based descriptions; and use 'statistical' only when probability and distributions are part of the picture.

quantitative ↗numerical ↗qualitative ↗measurable ↗statistical ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • strictly quantitative
  • purely quantitative
  • largely quantitative
  • entirely quantitative

Phrases

  • quantitative easing
  • in quantitative terms
  • quantitative and qualitative

Etymology

LatinMedieval LatinEnglish

From medieval Latin 'quantitativus', derived from Latin 'quantitas' (quantity, amount), which in turn comes from 'quantus' — the interrogative pronoun meaning 'how much' or 'how great'. The word entered English in the 16th century, initially used in philosophy and logic before expanding into scientific and research contexts.