regional
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to a region of considerable extent; not merely local.
a regional meeting of the Boy Scouts.
-
of or relating to a particular region, district, area, or part, as of a country; sectional; local.
regional differences in pronunciation.
-
Medicine/Medical, Anatomy. pertaining to, affecting, or localized in a particular area or part of the body.
regional anesthesia.
-
having, exhibiting, or characterized by regionalism.
He writes regional novels.
noun
-
Often regionals. a regional competition or tournament.
The basketball team won the regionals.
-
a regional company, branch, stock exchange, etc..
Regionals are getting stiff competition from the national firms.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of regional
From the Latin word regiōnālis, dating back to 1645–55. See region, -al 1
Explanation
Regional is bigger than local and smaller than national. The local weather forecast covers your city and perhaps a few suburbs; the regional forecast gives you more: maybe a slew of counties, maybe the whole state, maybe even several states. People who write dictionaries like to think of regional as being a precise term, having to do with well-defined geographic and cultural areas within larger nations: like regional cuisines, regional customs and even, in places like the Great Lakes, regional weather patterns. But lots of times regional is fuzzier than that. A regional high school has students from more than one town, but just how many towns depends on other factors — the local political structure, the number of kids in the area, and the like.
Vocabulary lists containing regional
Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Syrian Refugee Crisis Continues
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Geography and World Regions
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In an internal memo published Monday, Chief Executive Oliver Blume said the automaker was evaluating possible workforce adjustments across its various brands and regional subsidiaries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Grisetti’s regional credits also include “Spamalot” in Las Vegas, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” at the Reprise Theatre, “Beauty & the Beast” and “Peter Pan Goes Wrong” in La Mirada.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Details are fuzzy, but reports say that half of the toll profits for the first 15 years of operation will go into a regional economic development fund controlled by the U.S. government.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
In 2018, he appeared open to what China could offer at a regional level.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
But all these were minor league teams that played only in local and regional contests.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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.
