contextual
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of contextual
1805–15; < Latin contextu-, stem of contextus context + -al 1
Explanation
Something contextual relies on its context or setting to make sense. If you touch someone and shout "You're it!" in a game of tag, people get it, but if you're in the grocery store tapping strangers on the shoulder and yelling at them, it's less contextual. You can use the adjective contextual to describe what something means as it relates to a place, or meaning in a written text. If someone asks you what contextual reason you have for choosing an answer after reading a chapter, for example, you'll have an opinion in the context of what you read — it is contextual because it came out of the text. Activities are contextual too: riding a skateboard in a dance studio is not contextual, but doing ballet there would be.
Vocabulary lists containing contextual
Symbolism and Allegory & Idea or Theme
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Turtles All the Way Down
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Form & Symbolism and Allusion
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And though a film’s contextual significance is an important part of determining what is and isn’t a timeless movie, applicability isn’t everything, either.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
"On the other hand, women's salt-adding behavior appeared to be more closely linked to broader dietary patterns and contextual characteristics," added Santos.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2026
Absent any contextual identity, the names and dates Mayan inscriptions reveal are simply that: names and dates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
“From automated reporting and intelligent search to translation and contextual assistance, our AI tools are designed to improve speed, accuracy and decision-making,” the report said.
From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026
We do this because, like vervets, we are a lot more attuned to personal cues than contextual cues.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
