racial

adjective

ra·​cial ˈrā-shəl 

1

: of, relating to, or based on a race (see race entry 1 sense 1a)

a racial minority

2

: existing or occurring between races (see race entry 1 sense 1a)

racial equality

racially

ˈrā-shə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of racial

• ethnic
• ethnical

Examples of racial in a Sentence

What is your racial identity?

There was racial tension on campus.

Recent Examples on the Web

The case attracted national attention in part because of a flood of social media posts that amplified the killing in racial terms. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026

Fishback had garnered attention during the campaign for his support from Nick Fuentes while also using racial slurs and sexist language. — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

What the research shows The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative released a landmark study in November 2025 revealing severe gender and racial disparities among the creators and guests of popular podcasts. — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Achievement gaps between racial and ethnic groups also narrowed for students in early elementary school and high school, with Black and Hispanic students posting faster growth in test scores, Marrero said. — Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

race entry 1 + -ial

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing racial

• post-racial

Rhymes for racial

• facial
• glacial
• spacial
• spatial
• bifacial
• biracial
• palatial
• postglacial
• preglacial
• subglacial
• craniofacial
• interfacial

Kids Definition

racial

adjective

ra·​cial ˈrā-shəl 

: of, relating to, or based on race

racially

-shə-lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

racial

adjective

ra·​cial ˈrā-shəl 

: of, relating to, or based on a race