It turned out that under normal conditions, people generally stuck to the facts, actually preferring them to anecdotes-which is a good thing. There's a slight element of dismissiveness in this word, as such observations are typically given less weight in scientific evaluations when contrasted with larger data patterns and verified fact.

The related adjective anecdotal describes something that is based on individual observations. 2020Īn easy, elegant writer, he studs his narrative with affectionate family anecdotes and thumbnail sketches of world leaders and colleagues. Katherine Gregg, The Providence Journal, 19 Nov. There were so many famous people on the list, including dead people like Marilyn Monroe.' 'For a moment I thought I was in Hollywood. Michael Chippendale of Foster shared an anecdote from his visit to a neighborhood restaurant a few days ago, that had a sign-in sheet for contact tracing. Danielle Radin, CBS Los Angeles, 21 Nov. if that’s the tradition and routine,” he added. “My dog doesn’t walk very well, it’s hard to get around the block, so yes, I can walk my dog at 11 p.m. Ghaly then gave a personal anecdote about his dog taking longer to walk. How to Use 'Anecdote'Īn anecdote is a brief story, often about a real person or thing, that is shared usually because it is amusing, interesting, or perhaps relevant to the subject at hand. The nouns anecdote and antidote sound similar, and are occasionally mistaken for each other, but they are relatively easy to keep straight when context is provided. How'd we come up with this antidote? Well, it's kind of a funny story.

Define antidote