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

The committee has sent a summons letter to MCCA CEO Marcel Vernon, who was appointed to the position after the timing of these allegations, in October 2024, to curb reports of racial bias and discrimination. —Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 7 Dec. 2025

The state of Georgia recorded as many as 550 lynchings between 1880 and 1930, making it among the most active states for these acts of racial terror. —Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025

The deal was meant to resolve habeas corpus and Racial Justice Act petitions Chatman filed this year, alleging his trial was plagued by racial bias and misconduct. —Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 6 Dec. 2025

The entire episode played out in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, as racial tensions ran high. —Jonah Kaplan, CBS News, 5 Dec. 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