foreign
adjective
ˈfär-\
Definition of foreign
1 : situated outside a place or country especially : situated outside one's own country foreign cities
2 : born in, belonging to, or characteristic of some place or country other than the one under consideration has a large foreign population foreign languages
3 : of, relating to, or proceeding from some other person or material thing than the one under consideration foreign aid
4 : alien in character : not connected or pertinent this design is not foreign from some people's thoughts— Jonathan Swift
5 : related to or dealing with other nations foreign trade
6a : occurring in an abnormal situation in the living body and often introduced from outside a foreign body lodged in the esophagus
b : not recognized by the immune system as part of the self foreign proteins
7 : not being within the jurisdiction of a political unit (such as a state) foreign corporations
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Other Words from foreign
ˈfär-
\
noun
Examples of foreign in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The limits on Kushner's intelligence access could complicate his ability to manage a portfolio that includes meeting with foreign leaders on Trump's behalf and crafting a Middle East peace plan. — Carol D. Leonnig, Anchorage Daily News, "Limits still remain on security clearance for Trump son-in-law Kushner," 13 July 2018 Shark recalls a fear of playing a foreign country without the proper resources. — Billboard, "The Down Underdogs: Australian Alternative Artists on Making it Big in America and at Home," 13 July 2018 Trump imposed the trade barriers in the name of national security, infuriating foreign leaders and prompting bipartisan outrage in Congress. — Michael Collins, USA TODAY, "Senators blast Trump's 'reckless' tariffs, warn of impact on farmers, businesses," 12 July 2018 The government encouraged foreign investment and relaxed restrictions on migration from the countryside to cities. — The Economist, "In China, sex work is being pushed back into the shadows," 5 July 2018 Many foreign leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, are getting overwhelming support at home for standing up to Trump, making quick deals even less likely. — Heather Long, chicagotribune.com, "Trump stands firm on trade, even as foreign tariffs begin kicking in," 2 July 2018 Years went by like this, exiled in a foreign country. — Maija Liuhto, Longreads, "A Music So Beautiful the Birds Fell from the Trees," 28 June 2018 Indeed, Louisiana is the nation’s highest recipient per capita of foreign investment. — Katia Dmitrieva, Bloomberg.com, "In Louisiana, Trump’s Trade War Spooks America’s Biggest Port," 27 June 2018 Russian President Vladimir Putin was among the first foreign leaders to congratulate Erdogan on his election win Sunday. — Elena Becatoros, The Seattle Times, "What’s next for Turkey after vote grants Erdogan vast powers," 25 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'foreign.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for foreign
foreign
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of foreign
: located outside a particular place or country and especially outside your own country
: coming from or belonging to a different place or country
: relating to or dealing with other nations
See the full definition for foreign in the English Language Learners Dictionary
foreign
adjective
\
Kids Definition of foreign
1 : located outside of a place or country and especially outside of a person's own country a foreign nation
2 : belonging to a place or country other than the one under consideration Do you speak a foreign language?
3 : relating to or having to do with other nations foreign trade
4 : not normally belonging or wanted where found foreign material in food
foreign
adjective
\
Medical Definition of foreign
1 : occurring in an abnormal situation in the living body and often introduced from outside a foreign body lodged in the esophagus
2 : not recognized by the immune system as part of the self foreign proteins
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foreign
adjectiveLegal Definition of foreign
: not being within the jurisdiction of a political unit (as a state) especially : being from or in a state other than the one in which a matter is being considered a foreign company doing business in South Carolina a foreign executor submitting to the jurisdiction of this court
a foreign judgment — compare domesticKeep scrolling for more
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