political

adjective

po·​lit·​i·​cal pə-ˈli-ti-kəl How to pronounce political (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to government, a government, or the conduct of government
b
: of, relating to, or concerned with the making as distinguished from the administration of governmental policy
2
: of, relating to, involving, or involved in politics and especially party politics
3
: organized in governmental terms
political units
4
: involving or charged or concerned with acts against a government or a political system
political prisoners
politically adverb

Examples of political in a Sentence

The senator has changed political parties. Health care has become a major political issue in recent years. a group of political activists We need a political solution rather than a military solution.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Over the years, the festival has expanded to include artists, musicians, storytellers, poets, and more, all focused on a theme relevant to the social, religious, and political needs of the Louisville community and beyond. Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Oct. 2025 Some celebrants were building political support for the controversial Barge Canal. JSTOR Daily, 26 Oct. 2025 Professor [Djuro] Macut, who is our current prime minister, into the government, a university professor, and the vision of President Vucic remains to unify the people of Serbia, to overcome political divisions, and to create a society based on dialog and social cohesion rather than polarization. Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025 From their point of view, there will be a local council that will get a lot of money from international donors, but, behind the scenes, Hamas, like Hezbollah in Lebanon, will be able to continue to preserve its military and political and civil power. Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for political

Word History

Etymology

politic or its source, Latin polīticus "of civil government, political" + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of political was in 1529

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Political.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/political. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

political

adjective
po·​lit·​i·​cal pə-ˈlit-i-kəl How to pronounce political (audio)
1
: of or relating to a government or the conduct of government
2
: of or relating to politics
3
: organized in governmental terms
political units
4
: involving, concerned with, or accused of acts against a government or political system
political prisoners
politically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on political

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