racial

adjective

ra·​cial ˈrā-shəl 

1

: of, relating to, or based on a race (see race entry 1 sense 1a)

a racial minority

2

: existing or occurring between races (see race entry 1 sense 1a)

racial equality

racially

ˈrā-shə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of racial

• ethnic
• ethnical

Examples of racial in a Sentence

What is your racial identity?

There was racial tension on campus.

Recent Examples on the Web

Smith, who brings years of experience in the health care industry, centered her campaign on increasing residents’ access to medical care, expanding access to voting and creating pathways for people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds to be heard. — Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026

The talk for white children Would things have been different if Wells’ friends were well versed in Mississippi’s history of racial violence, including violent backlash toward integration? — James M. Thomas, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2026

Wolfe’s The Bonfire of the Vanities explores greed, avarice and racial divisions between the haves and have nots in 1980s New York City. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026

Bush and Bell both honed their leadership skills in Ferguson amid the racial unrest that followed the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer in 2014. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

race entry 1 + -ial

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing racial

• post-racial

Rhymes for racial

• facial
• glacial
• spacial
• spatial
• bifacial
• biracial
• palatial
• postglacial
• preglacial
• subglacial
• craniofacial
• interfacial

Kids Definition

racial

adjective

ra·​cial ˈrā-shəl 

: of, relating to, or based on race

racially

-shə-lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

racial

adjective

ra·​cial ˈrā-shəl 

: of, relating to, or based on a race