surgical

USAGE SUMMARY

"surgical" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to refer to anything related to a surgery, a surgeon, or a surgical procedure. For example, "The doctor performed a surgical procedure to remove the tumor from the patient's brain."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Opinion

Health

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

She explained that the sortie began with military precision around 9pm on Monday, that all of those who attacked their homes were wearing surgical gloves, masks and combat uniforms, that they arrived with wheelie bins stuffed with bricks, bottles and other missiles, and that the entire attack appeared to be well organised.

The Guardian

This is likely to provoke debate on whether advances in medical and surgical treatments, as well as continuing falls in numbers of people smoking, are being undermined by lifestyles, fuelling big increases in the number of overweight or obese people and those with type 2 diabetes.

The Guardian

All that stuff about a memory stick wrapped in a surgical glove lodged in a toilet bowl should be enough to cheer the hardest heart.

The Guardian

Abbott's stance on abortion, for instance – he has said that the current rate of abortion is "this generation's legacy of unutterable shame" and as health minister attempted to block access to RU486, the medical alternative to surgical abortion – has led to fears that as prime minister he would limit access to options and medical care.

The Guardian - Opinion

The second observation is that there may only be a limited number of discrete, surgical procedures that lend themselves to this sort of innovation.

The Guardian

GP training has hardly changed since I qualified in 2007 and is shorter than all other UK surgical or medical specialties.

The Guardian

As it is, the Opt Out website contains no information beyond vague and unsubstantiated claims about Obamacare being a "bad deal", and two embarrassingly poorly made ads featuring a "Creepy Uncle Sam" character who pops up between a woman's legs as she undergoes a gynaecological exam and asks a young man to roll over while he pulls on a surgical glove.

The Guardian - Opinion

Consultants work with teams; it would affect every level of clinical staff, and the staff of all the diagnostic and other technical services that support surgical and non-surgical care; it could even lead to a fall in the quality of care overall.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Surgical interventions can be very costly, so midwifery-led care is value for money while putting the mother in control and delivering healthy babies".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It means sophisticated surgical operations that rely on antibiotics – heart transplants, for one – being crippled.

The Guardian - Opinion

Thanks to clever brains and dextrous suckers, they can also open locks, unscrew jars and even untie surgical sutures.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "surgical" in a metaphorical sense, ensure the context clearly indicates a precise and targeted approach. For example, "a surgical strike on the company's debt".

Common error

Avoid using "surgical" too frequently as a metaphor, as it can become cliché. Instead, consider other words like "precise", "targeted", or "exact" to describe non-medical situations.

Linguistic Context

The word "surgical" primarily functions as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate a connection to surgery or a high degree of precision. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in both medical and metaphorical contexts, as confirmed by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Reference

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "surgical" is a versatile adjective used to describe anything related to surgery or characterized by precision. According to Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and frequently used in various contexts. It can be used literally in medical discussions or metaphorically to emphasize accuracy and targeted action. Examples from Ludwig demonstrate its presence in news, scientific publications, and formal business communications. When using "surgical" metaphorically, ensure the context is clear to avoid ambiguity and consider synonyms like "precise" or "targeted" to prevent overuse. Overall, "surgical" is a common and valuable term for expressing both medical specificity and meticulousness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

operative

A synonym for "surgical", referring to medical operations or procedures.

surgical procedure

Specifies a medical procedure involving surgery.

surgical intervention

Emphasizes the act of intervening with surgery.

surgical operation

Similar to "surgical procedure", highlighting the operational aspect.

surgical technique

Focuses on the method used in surgery.

surgical treatment

Highlights the use of surgery as a form of medical treatment.

surgical removal

Specifies the removal of something through surgery.

surgical correction

Implies fixing or correcting something with surgery.

surgical precision

Emphasizes the accuracy and exactness of a surgical procedure or action.

surgical strike

Can be used metaphorically to describe a precise and targeted action.

FAQs

How can I use "surgical" in a sentence?

You can use "surgical" to describe something related to surgery, such as "surgical instruments", or to describe something precise and targeted, such as "a surgical strike".

What's the difference between "surgical" and "medical"?

"Surgical" specifically refers to surgery, while "medical" is a broader term encompassing all aspects of medicine, including surgery, medication, and therapy.

What are some synonyms for "surgical"?

Some synonyms for "surgical" include "operative", precise, and clinical, depending on the context.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "surgical" metaphorically?

It's appropriate to use "surgical" metaphorically when describing actions that are precise, targeted, and intended to have a specific effect, such as "a surgical removal of unnecessary regulations".