international

1 of 2

adjective

in·​ter·​na·​tion·​al ˌin-tər-ˈna-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce international (audio)
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 noun
internationally adverb

international

2 of 2

noun

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

Examples of international in a Sentence

Adjective an international association of chemists She has achieved international fame.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
British soldiers were sent to Afghanistan as part of an international deployment against al Qaeda and Taliban forces in the war on terror after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2025 At its biennial international seminar in Vienna, Austria from July 9 to 10, the oil producers’ group said there was ample evidence in the market for the long-term need for black gold. Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Noun
The 28-year-old Nigerian international joined the Rapids last offseason in a move from FC Cincinnati that sent Awaziem and center back partner Ian Murphy to Colorado in exchange for $1 million in General Allocation Money (GAM). Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 18 July 2025 The Argentina international appeared to be holding his left hamstring. Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for international

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1780, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1870, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of international was in 1780

Cite this Entry

“International.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/international. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

international

1 of 2 adjective
in·​ter·​na·​tion·​al ˌint-ər-ˈnash-nəl How to pronounce international (audio)
-ən-ᵊl
1
: of, relating to, affecting, or involving two or more nations
international trade
2
: active, known, or reaching beyond national boundaries
an international reputation
internationally
-ˈnash-nə-lē How to pronounce international (audio)
-ən-ᵊl-ē
adverb

international

2 of 2 noun
: an organization having branches in more than one country

More from Merriam-Webster on international

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!