1. in a manner relating to or involving variation or the calculus of variations
Usage: mathematical; technical

Examples

• The problem was solved variationally using the principle of least action.
• The physicist approached the equation variationally to find the optimal solution.
• The system’s behavior can be analyzed variationally through energy minimization.
• She derived the result variationally rather than using direct methods.
• The boundary conditions were applied variationally in the mathematical model.