conditional

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adjective con·di·tion·al \ kən-ˈdish-nəl , -ˈdi-shə-nᵊl \

Definition of conditional

1 :subject to, implying, or dependent upon a condition

a conditional promise

2 :expressing, containing, or implying a supposition

the conditional clause if he speaks

3 a :true only for certain values of the variables or symbols involved

conditional equations

b :stating the case when one or more random variables are fixed or one or more events are known

conditional frequency distribution

4 a :conditioned 2

conditional reflex

conditional response

b :established by conditioning as the stimulus eliciting a conditional response

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conditionality

play \kən-ˌdi-shə-ˈna-lə-tē\ noun

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conditionally

play \kən-ˈdish-nə-lē, -ˈdi-shə-nə-lē\ adverb

See conditional defined for English-language learners

See conditional defined for kids

Examples of conditional in a Sentence

“If she speaks, you must listen” is a conditional sentence.
The sentence contains the conditional clause “if she speaks.”

Recent Examples of conditional from the Web

The school applied for a conditional-use permit with the village and got a hearing scheduled for Sept. 14 — after the school year would already have started.

— alec johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Pewaukee Lake Montessori Academy closes its doors," 30 Aug. 2017
The project doesn't meet requirements for conditional use and should have been turned down long ago, neighbors say.

— graydon megan, chicagotribune.com, "Legal threat leads Elmhurst to restart review of nursing home expansion," 29 Aug. 2017
The owners applied for a rezoning of the property to an HU-MU Mixed-Use District category, which would allow for a grocery store and for the owners to seek a conditional-use permit for retail alcohol sales.

— katherine sayre, NOLA.com, "Lower Garden District divided over possible return of closed grocery store," 23 Aug. 2017
The Anchorage Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the conditional use permit earlier last month, following endorsements from two different community councils.

— nathaniel herz, Alaska Dispatch News, "Providence plans new Midtown Anchorage building for victims of child abuse," 21 Aug. 2017
High Court judge Charles Chanda told Hichilema and his co-accused that the prosecutor had terminated the proceedings but their discharge was conditional.

— chris mfula, The Christian Science Monitor, "Zambian political opposition leader released from prison," 16 Aug. 2017
An earlier bill in the Senate included about $1.5 million for the program, and that money would have paid for conditional loans that bilingual students could have used to study education in college.

— neal morton, The Seattle Times, "Washington schools see bilingual students as future bilingual educators," 13 Aug. 2017
Then, the International Monetary Fund agreed to a new $1.8 billion conditional loan for Greece on Thursday, with disbursement contingent on euro-zone countries providing debt relief.

— sotiris nikas, Bloomberg.com, "Greek Return to Bond Market Is Just Start Down Recovery Road," 26 July 2017
The city plans to spend another $4.2 million on renovations, which would begin next January if the council approves a conditional use permit for the transitional housing this fall.

— david garrick, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Council approves buying South Bay motel for chronic homeless," 17 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conditional.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of conditional

14th century

conditional Synonyms

Synonyms

dependent, contingent (on or upon), subject (to), tentative

Antonyms

independent, unconditional

Related Words

liable, open, susceptible; limited, modified, qualified, restricted; debatable, disputable, doubtable, doubtful, iffy, problematic (also problematical), questionable, shady, shaky, suspect, uncertain

Near Antonyms

absolute, all-out, arrant, categorical (also categoric), complete, consummate, out-and-out, outright, perfect, simple, total, ultimate, unadulterated, unalloyed, unconditional, unequivocal, unmitigated, unqualified, utter; basal, basic, fundamental, primary

conditional

noun

Definition of conditional

1 :a conditional word, clause, verb form, or morpheme

2 :implication 2b

See conditional defined for English-language learners

Examples of conditional in a Sentence

The clause “if she speaks” is a conditional.
The conditional is often marked by the word “if.”

First Known Use of conditional

1828

CONDITIONAL Defined for English Language Learners

conditional

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adjective

Definition of conditional for English Language Learners

grammar : showing or used to show that something is true or happens only if something else is true or happens

conditional

noun

Definition of conditional for English Language Learners

: a word, clause, or sentence that shows that something is true or happens only if something else is true or happens
the conditional : the mood or form that is used to say that something is true or happens only if something else is true or happens

CONDITIONAL Defined for Kids

conditional

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adjective con·di·tion·al \ kən-ˈdi-shə-nᵊl \

Definition of conditional for Students

:of or relating to something that will happen only if something else happens

a conditional promise

Medical Dictionary

conditional

play

adjective con·di·tion·al \ kən-ˈdish-nəl, -ən-ᵊl \

medical Definition of conditional

1 a :conditioned

conditional reflex

conditional response

b :eliciting a conditional response

a conditional stimulus

2 :permitting survival only under special growth or environmental conditions

conditional lethal mutations

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conditionally

play \-ˈdish-nə-lē, -ən-ᵊl-ē\ adverb

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conditionally

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conditional Synonyms

Synonyms

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conditional

Definition of conditional

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First Known Use of conditional

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CONDITIONAL Defined for English Language Learners

conditional

Definition of conditional for English Language Learners

conditional

Definition of conditional for English Language Learners

CONDITIONAL Defined for Kids

conditional

Definition of conditional for Students

Medical Dictionary

conditional

medical Definition of conditional

conditionally

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