political

adjective

po·​lit·​i·​cal pə-ˈli-ti-kəl 

1

a

: of or relating to government, a government, or the conduct of government

b

: of, relating to, or concerned with the making as distinguished from the administration of governmental policy

2

: of, relating to, involving, or involved in politics and especially party politics

3

: organized in governmental terms

political units

4

: involving or charged or concerned with acts against a government or a political system

political prisoners

politically

pə-ˈli-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of political in a Sentence

The senator has changed political parties.

Health care has become a major political issue in recent years.

a group of political activists

We need a political solution rather than a military solution.

Recent Examples on the Web

The backlash and controversy sparked by the revelation led Platner’s political director, former Maine State Representative Genevieve McDonald, to resign from his campaign. —Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025

The other Kansas Young Republicans officer in the group chat, chair Alex Dwyer, reportedly reacted with a heart emoji to a message about killing political opponents in a gas chamber. —Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2025

Specifically as geo-political headlines around tariffs and other such issues have caused risk-on assets (many stocks), crypto has reacted in a similar manner. —Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 18 Oct. 2025

Poverty, immiseration under Maduro fuel migration surge During his tenure as head of Venezuela, Maduro has presided over the arrests of thousands of political opponents, journalists and human rights advocates. —Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

politic or its source, Latin polīticus "of civil government, political" + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing political

• anti-political
• political action committee
• political animal
• political economy
• political favor
• political football
• political prisoner
• political science

Rhymes for political

• levitical
• noncritical
• subcritical
• uncritical
• analytical
• apolitical
• diacritical
• hypercritical
• hypocritical
• nonpolitical
• parasitical
• supercritical

Kids Definition

political

adjective

po·​lit·​i·​cal pə-ˈlit-i-kəl 

1

: of or relating to a government or the conduct of government

2

: of or relating to politics

3

: organized in governmental terms

political units

4

: involving, concerned with, or accused of acts against a government or political system

political prisoners

politically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb