local

adjective

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lo·cal | \ ˈlō-kəl

Definition of local

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : characterized by or relating to position in space : having a definite spatial form or location

2a : of, relating to, or characteristic of a particular place : not general or widespread

b : of, relating to, or applicable to part of a whole

3a : primarily serving the needs of a particular limited district

b of a public conveyance : making all the stops on a route

4 : involving or affecting only a restricted part of the organism : topical a local anesthetic

5 : of or relating to telephone communication within a specified area

local

noun

Definition of local (Entry 2 of 2)

: a local person or thing: such as

a : a local public conveyance (such as a train or an elevator)

b : a local or particular branch, lodge, or chapter of an organization (such as a labor union)

c British : a nearby or neighborhood pub

Synonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing local Learn More About local

Examples of local in a Sentence

Adjective We had dinner at a local restaurant. The police have arrested a local man for the crime. This is a local shop for local people: we don't get many outsiders here. She took the local bus. Noun He's the president of the union local at the factory. the truck drivers are members of Local 349 of the Teamsters' Union See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Satellite images in April showed what appeared to be mass graves just outside Mariupol, where local officials accused Russia of concealing the slaughter by burying up to 9,000 civilians. — Arkansas Online, 21 May 2022 Satellite images in April showed what appeared to be mass graves just outside Mariupol, where local officials accused Russia of concealing the slaughter by burying up to 9,000 civilians. — Elena Becatoros, BostonGlobe.com, 21 May 2022 Severodonetsk, the easternmost city under Ukraine’s control, is set to be the war’s next major battlefield, with local officials reporting intense Russian shelling in recent days. — Andrew Jeong, Washington Post, 21 May 2022 Initially local law enforcement quickly dismissed the idea that the attack was a hate crime. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2022 Caroline Kim, a business leader in the Asian Trade District, felt a sense of relief after the arrest but also called for more patrol units and relationship-building with local law enforcement. — Deon J. Hampton, NBC News, 19 May 2022 The Media Rating Council, the industry’s measurement watchdog, last year pulled its accreditation of Nielsen’s national and local TV ratings. — Megan Graham, WSJ, 19 May 2022 Stand up for our Border Patrol, local law enforcement. — Dave Wallace, Baltimore Sun, 18 May 2022 Proposals already under discussion in the state Capitol include requiring local law enforcement to report recovered weapons to a federal database in a timely manner, and allowing the state to conduct its own background checks. — Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 18 May 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun As a Penang local, Ms. Yap considers dusky langurs an important part of her natural heritage. — Charukesi Ramadurai, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Apr. 2022 In 2017, Rob Arnold, a local of Cornwall, and 12 other volunteers collected about six million pieces of microplastics from a beach near his home, reported Inverse's Nick Lucchesi at the time. — Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Feb. 2022 In Thormeier’s backpack, the Lakeland local carried a rubber duck, one of the iconic dolphin’s favorite toys, and a framed collage of photos that her 17-year-old daughter took of Winter. — Bernadette Berdychowski, orlandosentinel.com, 21 Nov. 2021 There is already talk within the local of trying to unseat Thom Davis, an ally of Loeb’s who has served as business representative since 1998. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 17 Nov. 2021 Perdue was a Michigan local who attended the University of Dallas and worked as a realtor since 2012, according to his company profile. — Peter Aitken, Fox News, 14 Nov. 2021 The group of about 30 drivers voted to join a local of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2021 Boubaker Guesmi, a 56-year-old local, shares this view. — Time, 30 July 2021 Your standard fare then will be a digital projection at 2K in your local – which, hopefully, is decent, – but seasoned Marvel fans will probably want to seek out something better for that opening weekend experience. — Benny Har-even, Forbes, 29 June 2021 See More

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