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:
But these restrictions can be waived by the administration on national security grounds.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
The volume of procedures billed to the program was also well above the national average.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
In June, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Tawa Supermarket Inc., alleging the company “violated federal law when it fired and otherwise discriminated against non-Chinese workers based on their national origin.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
This week's accident is Spain's second high-speed rail disaster this year -- a double blow to a network that had been a source of national pride.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
Everyone stood up right away, like you’re supposed to when they sing the national anthem.
From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney
More than 130 years later, in the spring of 2021, my husband, George Anders, proposed we visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, about five hours from our California home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
On the bandstand of Promenade Gardens in Georgetown, the bagpipes of the National Piping Centre could be heard alongside traditional Guyanese drummers in a collaboration of musical styles.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
The National Weather Service extended flood advisories for all of Southern California’s coastal counties through 2 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
In 1950 he guided City College to both the National College Athletic Association and the National Invitation Tournament, or NIT, championships—a feat no other men’s college team has matched.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
“The plane belonged to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Name of the pilot was withheld.”
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
The prosecutors said two 24-year-old British nationals charged in connection with a plot to target the RAF Fairford base were being handled by a man named “Ali,” linked to Iran’s intelligence services.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
U.S. officials believe a branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps recruited British nationals to carry out the planned attack.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
It says tens of thousands of foreign nationals have been deported or repatriated since it launched a crackdown earlier this year.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
Thailand has advised its citizens to postpone non-essential travel to parts of Europe rocked by protests, while Malaysia also warned its nationals about visiting France.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
Jaime became a superb gymnast, short and wiry like Nancy, and Nancy and Jerry had hopes for her in the nationals, if not the Olympics.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
