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

While more recent redevelopment and budget cuts have obscured the physical traces of this rich political history, African American residents have become New Orleans’ predominant park patrons, proving the strength of local racial-justice advocacy during the Jim Crow era. —JSTOR Daily, 14 Nov. 2025

When Ruby and her mother arrived for her first day of school at William Frantz, they were greeted by mobs of angry protestors who screamed racial slurs and threw eggs and tomatoes. —Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025

Harrell was elected mayor in 2021 following the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic and racial justice protests over George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Nov. 2025

Depending on the outcome of the Supreme Court case, some experts see the decisions as potentially weakening the tools to address racial discrimination and reduce the political power of Black voters. —Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

race entry 1 + -ial

First Known Use

1854, 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