conditional

1 of 2

adjective

con·​di·​tion·​al kən-ˈdi-sh(ə-)nəl 

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 sense 2

conditional reflex

conditional response

b

: established by conditioning as the stimulus eliciting a conditional response

conditionality

kən-ˌdi-shə-ˈna-lə-tē 

noun

conditionally

kən-ˈdi-sh(ə-)nə-lē 

adverb

conditional

2 of 2

noun

1

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

2

: implication sense 3b

Synonyms of conditional

Adjective

• dependent
• tentative

Examples of conditional in a Sentence

Adjective

“If she speaks, you must listen” is a conditional sentence.

The sentence contains the conditional clause “if she speaks.”

Noun

The clause “if she speaks” is a conditional.

The conditional is often marked by the word “if.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The city gave conditional approval to the incentives on June 22, but that resolution states consent would be rescinded and voided if the city doesn’t receive funds in line with the original agreement. — John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2026

More storms may develop in the afternoon east of Interstate 35, with the threat of severe weather being conditional, the weather service said. — Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026

Noun

His second-guessing doesn’t stanch his inner torrent of bile, which continues through dinner with Irène and her mother, and goes on for another fifteen pages of emotional hypotheticals and conditionals. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 July 2026

But those are all conditionals, in various ways. — Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing conditional

• conditional probability
• the conditional

Rhymes for conditional

• additional
• nutritional
• positional
• traditional
• transitional
• volitional
• compositional
• definitional
• depositional
• dispositional
• intuitional
• nontraditional

Kids Definition

conditional

adjective

con·​di·​tion·​al

kən-ˈdish-nəl, 

-ən-ᵊl

1

: depending on a condition

a conditional sale

2

: expressing, containing, or implying something supposed

"if we go" is a conditional clause

conditionally

-nə-lē, 

-ən-ᵊl-ē

adverb

Medical Definition

conditional

adjective

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

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

conditionally

-ˈdish-nə-lē, -ən-ᵊl-ē 

adverb