Definition of naval
1 obsolete : of or relating to ships or shipping
2a : of or relating to a navyb : consisting of or involving warships
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of naval from the Web
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The U.S. military sees China as its peer competitor in conventional military force and Trump’s commitment to build a 350-ship navy, up from 275 today, appears to be a direct response to China’s rapid naval and anti-ship missile-building program.
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The homeowners are predominantly retirees from Carswell Air Force Base (now Naval Air Station Fort Worth) and General Dynamics, a portion of which was sold to Lockheed Martin in the early 1990s.
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A 13-day standoff ensued as President Kennedy placed a naval blockade around Cuba and threatened to use military force.
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The last, in particular, flourished and became a commercial and naval superpower known for its nautical might and liberal attitude toward moneylending.
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The bombing of the USS Cole was the first successful terrorist attack on a U.S. naval ship in modern history.
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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s military has dispatched a naval unit in waters off Somalia after pirates reportedly hijacked a South Korean fishing vessel.
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The Spanish boat Carlos de Eizaguirre hit a German mine that had been part of a naval blockade near Cape Town on May 26, 1917.
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In Russia, turning down vodka borders on rude, particularly if your hosts happen to be Russian naval officers.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'naval'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of naval
Middle English, from Latin navalis, from navis ship
NAVAL Defined for English Language Learners
naval
playDefinition of naval for English Language Learners
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: of or relating to a country's navy
NAVAL Defined for Kids
naval
playDefinition of naval for Students
: of or relating to a navy or warships naval vessels
Learn More about naval
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Spanish Central: Translation of naval Nglish: Translation of naval for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of naval for Arabic speakers
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