American
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the United States of America or its inhabitants.
an American citizen.
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of or relating to North or South America; of the Western Hemisphere.
the American continents.
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of or relating to the Indigenous peoples of North and South America.
noun
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a citizen of the United States of America.
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a native or inhabitant of North or South America.
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an Indigenous person of North or South America.
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a steam locomotive having a four-wheeled front truck, four driving wheels, and no rear truck.
adjective
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of or relating to the United States of America, its inhabitants, or their form of English
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of or relating to the American continent
noun
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a native or citizen of the US
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a native or inhabitant of any country of North, Central, or South America
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the English language as spoken or written in the United States
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of American
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.
See Examples For:
American employers are still largely stuck in a low-hire, low-fire mode even though job growth has improved from a very weak 2025.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
We learn a bit about the backgrounds of both actors, as they situate themselves in the American story they are seeking to expand.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Bayard Rustin, who organized the largest civil rights march in American history from the background as an openly gay man in 1963, and let other men stand at the microphone.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
At Tuesday’s closing price of $193.92, the recently issued American depositary receipts of SK Hynix were commanding a 38% premium to Wednesday’s closing price of its local shares listed in Seoul.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
All of a sudden, I hear the words that Dr. Davis said to me at the African American Museum.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
This litigation machine had a profound effect on everyday life for millions of Americans, many of whom have never set foot in Texas.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
Americans have increasingly been turning to credit cards and buy-now-pay-later loans to pay for food.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
There has been increased talk of divergent financial conditions among lower- and higher-income Americans, known as a K-shaped economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Churlish or not, Argentina tops have not been an uncommon site in Scotland - or indeed Boston - this summer, a nod to England's intense rivalry with the South Americans.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Pierce, a Northerner, believed that the Compromise of 1850 had solved the slavery issue, declaring, “We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis …” He wanted Americans to concentrate on prosperity and peace.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
