national
adjective
of, relating to, or maintained by a nation as an organized whole or independent political unit.
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national
American
[nash-uh-nl, nash-nuhl]
/ ˈnæʃ ə nl, ˈnæʃ nəl /
adjective
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of, relating to, or maintained by a nation as an organized whole or independent political unit.
national affairs.
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owned, preserved, or maintained by the federal government.
a national wildlife refuge.
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peculiar or common to the whole people of a country.
national customs.
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devoted to one's own nation, its interests, etc.; patriotic.
to stir up national pride.
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concerning or encompassing an entire nation.
a national radio network.
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limited to one nation.
noun
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nationals
plural
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a citizen or subject of a particular nation who is entitled to its protection.
U.S. nationals living abroad.
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Often nationals. a national competition, tournament, or the like.
We're invited to Minneapolis for the nationals.
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a national company or organization.
national
1
British
/ ˈnæʃənəl /
adjective
-
of, involving, or relating to a nation as a whole
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of a particular nation
the national dress of Poland
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rare nationalistic or patriotic
noun
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a citizen or subject
-
a national newspaper
National
2
British
/ ˈnæʃənəl /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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antinationaladjective
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nonnationaladjective
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prenationaladjective
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pronationaladjective
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pseudonationaladjective
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quasi-nationaladjective
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subnationaladjective
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unnationaladjective
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antinationallyadverb
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nationallyadverb
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nonnationallyadverb
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pseudonationallyadverb
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quasi-nationallyadverb
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unnationallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of national
Explanation
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.
Vocabulary lists containing national
Name On: Pro Sports Team Names, Part 1
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 2
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American Naturalization Test, List 1
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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.
See Examples For:
The better course is to address the program’s challenges within its existing national framework, preserving the features that have made it both durable and effective.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
It said legal proceedings had been started in Italy, France and Germany over the case but that "European and national authorities have remained silent" and "those responsible for the attack have not been identified".
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
While longevity science dominates media headlines, national healthcare spending has surged past $5.3 trillion—driven overwhelmingly by preventable chronic conditions, balance deficits and falls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
A few thanked me with national clips lauding my virtual teaching venture.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026
“I think national recognition for returning the Dagger of Serendib is a pretty big return!”
From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook
The youth and sport ministry has issued a media invitation for journalists to accompany a cabinet official on an inspection of arrangements at National Heroes Stadium, where the ceremony is expected to take place.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
The new U.S. tariff plan for Canada was first floated in late July, and the National Association of Home Builders offered a warning at that time.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
The winter of 1982-83 was California’s wettest in 131 years of record-keeping, according to Alex Tardy, a former meteorologist for the National Weather Service office in San Diego.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Researchers from Inserm and the National University of Singapore conducted the study, which was published in the World Journal of Pediatrics.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
It would take years for many Hitler Youth to digest the truth about National Socialism: They had served a mass murderer and, in so doing, had contributed to the deaths of millions of people.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
The victims were three British nationals, a Pole, an Australian, a Canadian and a dual US-Canadian citizen.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
AI models, some Chinese companies tapped American expertise by hiring Chinese nationals who had worked for U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
The month before Muzirikazi left with his cousin Dylan Goodho, Zimbabwe announced 15 nationals had been killed on "foreign battlefields".
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Representatives of 15 member states joined this one-day meeting to discuss processes to send back Afghan nationals who had no legal right to remain in the EU.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Jayme and Taylor teamed up and won the state history day contest in 2009, and took ninth place in nationals for a project on Joe Hill, a labor activist.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
