: of, relating to, or characteristic of South Asia (a region of indefinite boundaries usually thought of as including all or some of the following countries: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Maldives) or its people
plural South Asians
1
: a native or inhabitant of South Asia
2
: a person of South Asian descent
Examples of South Asian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The South Asian country is home to a number of shark species.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
In considering treatment, doctors also take into account other factors that might raise a person’s risk of heart disease, such as South Asian race, diabetes, early menopause, pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes, for example.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Honorable Gays is produced by France’s production banner, French Tuck Media, which focuses on scaling premium unscripted and documentary storytelling to amplify underrepresented voices and reflect the nuance and humor of South Asian and LGBTQ+ communities.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
Around 4 million barrels of Iranian oil have arrived in India, marking the first such imports in seven years as the South Asian nation races to secure volumes before a grace period granted by Washington expires at the weekend.
—Weilun Soon, Bloomberg, 15 Apr. 2026
Holi is observed in India and other South Asian countries and in South Asian communities all over the world.
—Yvette Orozco, Houston Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2026
Although Oberon did not win, decades later she would be acknowledged as a forerunner among South Asian actors.
—Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Mar. 2025
Our dance studios, restaurants, and movie theaters started to pollinate other parts of the state—like North Brunswick, a nearby town where my family and I later moved—where smaller, but no less vibrant South Asian epicenters bloomed.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Dec. 2023
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Adjective
The first military contingents of the larger, more heavily armed force with personnel drawn from several African and South Asian countries, along with Guatemala and El Salvador, are expected to arrive in Haiti in the next few days.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The South Asian country is home to a number of shark species.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
In considering treatment, doctors also take into account other factors that might raise a person’s risk of heart disease, such as South Asian race, diabetes, early menopause, pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes, for example.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Honorable Gays is produced by France’s production banner, French Tuck Media, which focuses on scaling premium unscripted and documentary storytelling to amplify underrepresented voices and reflect the nuance and humor of South Asian and LGBTQ+ communities.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
Around 4 million barrels of Iranian oil have arrived in India, marking the first such imports in seven years as the South Asian nation races to secure volumes before a grace period granted by Washington expires at the weekend.
—Weilun Soon, Bloomberg, 15 Apr. 2026
Holi is observed in India and other South Asian countries and in South Asian communities all over the world.
—Yvette Orozco, Houston Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2026
Although Oberon did not win, decades later she would be acknowledged as a forerunner among South Asian actors.
—Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Mar. 2025
Our dance studios, restaurants, and movie theaters started to pollinate other parts of the state—like North Brunswick, a nearby town where my family and I later moved—where smaller, but no less vibrant South Asian epicenters bloomed.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Dec. 2023
Cite this Entry
“South Asian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/South%20Asian. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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