of, relating to, or maintained by a nation as an organized whole or independent political unit.
national affairs.
owned, preserved, or maintained by the federal government.
a national wildlife refuge.
peculiar or common to the whole people of a country.
national customs.
devoted to one's own nation, its interests, etc.; patriotic.
to stir up national pride.
concerning or encompassing an entire nation.
a national radio network.
limited to one nation.
a citizen or subject of a particular nation who is entitled to its protection.
U.S. nationals living abroad.
Often nationals. a national competition, tournament, or the like.
We're invited to Minneapolis for the nationals.
a national company or organization.
of, involving, or relating to a nation as a whole
of, relating to, or characteristic of a particular nation
the national dress of Poland
rare nationalistic or patriotic
a citizen or subject
a national newspaper
National is an adjective that refers to something or someone that belongs to a nation or country. Baseball is the national pastime of the United States. The word national describes anything that is common to, shared by, or represents a group of people or a place that is considered a nation, like the national anthem sung before the national pastime of baseball. National statistics provide information about a country as a whole. During times of war, the national mood is usually tense and sad. A national is also a citizen of a nation. You might be called an “American national” if you are an American living in Paris.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hundreds of euphoric supporters welcomed home Egypt's national football team on Friday after the country's best-ever performance at the World Cup, which ended with a thrilling last-16 exit to Argentina.
From Barron's • Jul. 10, 2026
Some would argue they have a certain advantage on the national teams that are trying a 'new project' with a new manager.
From BBC • Jul. 10, 2026
FOXBOROUGH, Mass.—The French national team had every reason to be frustrated.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026
Fery, a virtually unknown British wild card with a triple-digit ranking, has become the emotional heartbeat of Wimbledon while legitimately diverting some national attention from England’s World Cup quest.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026
Their mechanics took a record player with them as they moved from base to base; one of them, Sonya Tishurova, organized a group who performed national dances from different states in the USSR.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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.
