invitational

American

[in-vi-tey-shuh-nl] / ˌɪn vɪˈteɪ ʃə nl /

adjective

restricted to participants who have been invited.

an invitational track meet.

noun

an event, as a sports competition or an art exhibit, restricted to those who have been invited to participate.

Etymology

Origin of invitational

First recorded in 1920–25; invitation + -al ¹

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.

At an annual tennis invitational and white party at a billionaire’s Beverly Hills mansion last weekend, the reality TV villain and mayoral hopeful marveled at his potential path to victory.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

Like an evangelist giving an altar call, his bid is invitational in nature.

From Salon • Mar. 9, 2026

Some think it’s the first time a St. John Bosco student won an invitational title.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

With a $3-million prize pool, this weekend's Ubisoft-organised invitational event in Paris for top teams is "a heck of a signal" that "shows we're capable of packing the Adidas Arena," Deniele said.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

The meet was an invitational, and Merryl hadn’t qualified—something that didn’t bother her a bit.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023