international

play

adjective in·ter·na·tion·al \ ˌin-tər-ˈnash-nəl , -ˈna-shə-nᵊl \

Definition of international

1 :of, relating to, or affecting two or more nations

international trade

2 :of, relating to, or constituting a group or association having members in two or more nations

international movement

3 :active, known, or reaching beyond national boundaries

an international reputation

—

internationality

play \ˌin-tər-ˌna-shə-ˈna-lə-tē\ noun

—

internationally

play \ˌin-tər-ˈnash-nə-lē, -ˈna-shə-nᵊl-ē\ adverb

See international defined for English-language learners

See international defined for kids

Examples of international in a Sentence

an international association of chemists
She has achieved international fame.

Recent Examples of international from the Web

Some are planning to go into international business.

— donna vickroy, Daily Southtown, "Joliet Junior College teacher aims to make learning Mandarin easy," 28 Aug. 2017
But in order to approve the drug for the U.S. market, the FDA requires that clinical trials involving human participants be reviewed and approved by an IRB or an international equivalent.

— marisa taylor, Kaiser Health News, "Offshore Human Testing Of Herpes Vaccine Stokes Debate Over U.S. Safety Rules," 28 Aug. 2017
That messaging campaign starts largely around 1996, a year after the International Panel on Climate Change first concluded that climate change was most likely driven by greenhouse-gas emissions linked to human activities.

— joshua emerson smith, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Study finds ExxonMobil knew about climate change, raised doubts about dangers," 22 Aug. 2017
This part of the country is definitely under-served in terms of international offerings,'' McGraw said.

— randy tucker, Cincinnati.com, "Wow air, known for cheap flights to Europe, comes to CVG," 22 Aug. 2017
In other words, Tehran is engaging in its own systematic goading of international public opinion by trying to isolate Trump.

— chicagotribune.com, "Iran is not about to fall for Trump's trap," 18 Aug. 2017
Data collected will be uploaded and shared with an international data bank at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "Lessons are a shot in the dark," 18 Aug. 2017
Malala rose to international fame at 15 years old when she was almost killed by the Taliban for her efforts to help girls get an education in her home country Pakistan.

— leanna commins, Cosmopolitan, "Some Good News Finally: Malala Yousafzai Has Been Accepted Into Oxford," 17 Aug. 2017
Lee acquired the doll for over $1,000 after waging full-out international bidding war on eBay.

— sarah schreiber, Good Housekeeping, ""Possessed" eBay Doll Allegedly Wreaks Havoc on Married Men," 17 Aug. 2017

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

First Known Use of international

1780

international Synonyms

Synonyms

foreign, multinational, transnational

Related Words

intercontinental, transcontinental

Near Antonyms

domestic, internal, national

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

international

noun

Definition of international

:one that is international; especially :an organization of international scope

Recent Examples of international from the Web

Unions have been decimated, meaning today’s young people are far less likely than their parents to have participated in union elections or passed resolutions through their locals or internationals.

— kate aronoff, New Republic, "Are the Democratic Socialists of America For Real?," 7 Aug. 2017
Today, Afghanistan is ranked in the top 10 in both one-day internationals and T20 cricket.

— tim wigmore, New York Times, "Afghanistan and Ireland Are Poised to Join Cricket’s Elite," 20 June 2017
Manager Nick Cushing's squad is packed with internationals -- eight from England alone -- ensuring City has set the benchmark in Britain.

— zayn nabbi, CNN, "US soccer star Carli Lloyd still dreaming of Champions League glory," 12 June 2017
In flocking to Budapest, these nationalist internationals are creating a sanctuary from which to broadcast anti-globalism across the globe.

— carol schaeffer, The Atlantic, "How Hungary Became a Haven for the Alt-Right," 28 May 2017

First Known Use of international

1870

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

INTERNATIONAL Defined for English Language Learners

international

play

adjective

Definition of international for English Language Learners

: involving two or more countries : occurring between countries
: made up of people or groups from different countries
: active or known in many countries

INTERNATIONAL Defined for Kids

international

play

adjective in·ter·na·tion·al \ ˌin-tər-ˈna-shə-nᵊl \

Definition of international for Students

1 :involving two or more nations :occurring between nations

international trade

2 :active or known in many nations

an international celebrity

—

internationally

adverb

The soccer game was televised internationally.

Learn More about international

See words that rhyme with international Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for international Spanish Central: Translation of international Nglish: Translation of international for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of international for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up international? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

international

Definition of international

internationality

internationally

Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd

Examples of international in a Sentence

Recent Examples of international from the Web

First Known Use of international

international Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Other Government and Politics Terms

international

Definition of international

Recent Examples of international from the Web

First Known Use of international

Other Government and Politics Terms

Phrases Related to INTERNATIONAL

Related Phrases

INTERNATIONAL Defined for English Language Learners

international

Definition of international for English Language Learners

INTERNATIONAL Defined for Kids

international

Definition of international for Students

internationally

Learn More about international

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

Trending: Kim Jong Un: Trump a 'Dotard'

These Are Fighting Words

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Words of the Year: 1066