conditional

1 of 2

adjective

con·​di·​tion·​al kən-ˈdish-nəl 

-ˈdi-shə-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-ˈdish-nə-lē 

-ˈdi-shə-nə-lē

adverb

conditional

2 of 2

noun

1

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

2

: implication sense 3b

Synonyms

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

He has been released on conditional bail. —Catherine Nicholls, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025

The man was held in suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offenses and was released on conditional bail. —Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025

Noun

Neuroscientists have already identified distinct brain activity patterns when programmers think about loops, conditionals or data structures. —Somdip Dey, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025

Unlike France and Canada, however, Starmer made British recognition of a Palestinian state conditional on Israel’s actions. —Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 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