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

Discussions about politics, religion and racial issues will be intense. —Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 30 May 2026

Baraka’s play presents utterance as a shared medium to confront onlookers with historical racial violence and the resilience of Black Americans. —Literary Hub, 29 May 2026

And about one in five Black women with breast cancer are diagnosed with hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), more than any other racial or ethnic group. —Ayren Jackson-Cannady, SELF, 29 May 2026

On each occasion, students, mostly white, dressed up using harmful racial stereotypes. —Ingrid A. Nelson, The Conversation, 29 May 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