: of, relating to, or characteristic of South Asia (a region of indefinite boundaries usually thought of as including all or some of the following countries: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Maldives) or its people
plural South Asians
1
: a native or inhabitant of South Asia
2
: a person of South Asian descent
Examples of South Asian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
The population of Indian rhinos was nearly wiped out by excessive hunting in the early 1970s, with as few as 100 individuals surviving in the South Asian country.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
Honorable Gays is produced by France’s production banner, French Tuck Media, which focuses on scaling premium unscripted and documentary storytelling to amplify underrepresented voices and reflect the nuance and humor of South Asian and LGBTQ+ communities.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
Pakistan, a South Asian nation of more than 200 million people, played a key mediating role between Iran and the U.S. during their recent ceasefire efforts, though talks toward a broader peace deal collapsed in Islamabad, the country’s capital, last weekend.
—Will Clark, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026
Around 4 million barrels of Iranian oil have arrived in India, marking the first such imports in seven years as the South Asian nation races to secure volumes before a grace period granted by Washington expires at the weekend.
—Weilun Soon, Bloomberg, 15 Apr. 2026
The restaurant’s front glass case is frequently lined with her cakes, cheesecakes, brownies and an assortment of classic South Asian items like kheer, a sweet rice pudding.
—Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Holi is observed in India and other South Asian countries and in South Asian communities all over the world.
—Yvette Orozco, Houston Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2026
Our dance studios, restaurants, and movie theaters started to pollinate other parts of the state—like North Brunswick, a nearby town where my family and I later moved—where smaller, but no less vibrant South Asian epicenters bloomed.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Dec. 2023
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Adjective
The South Asian country is among the naitons fielding the military soldiers who will be making up the 5,500-member Gang Suppression Force.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
The population of Indian rhinos was nearly wiped out by excessive hunting in the early 1970s, with as few as 100 individuals surviving in the South Asian country.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
Honorable Gays is produced by France’s production banner, French Tuck Media, which focuses on scaling premium unscripted and documentary storytelling to amplify underrepresented voices and reflect the nuance and humor of South Asian and LGBTQ+ communities.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
Pakistan, a South Asian nation of more than 200 million people, played a key mediating role between Iran and the U.S. during their recent ceasefire efforts, though talks toward a broader peace deal collapsed in Islamabad, the country’s capital, last weekend.
—Will Clark, NBC news, 17 Apr. 2026
Around 4 million barrels of Iranian oil have arrived in India, marking the first such imports in seven years as the South Asian nation races to secure volumes before a grace period granted by Washington expires at the weekend.
—Weilun Soon, Bloomberg, 15 Apr. 2026
The restaurant’s front glass case is frequently lined with her cakes, cheesecakes, brownies and an assortment of classic South Asian items like kheer, a sweet rice pudding.
—Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Holi is observed in India and other South Asian countries and in South Asian communities all over the world.
—Yvette Orozco, Houston Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2026
Our dance studios, restaurants, and movie theaters started to pollinate other parts of the state—like North Brunswick, a nearby town where my family and I later moved—where smaller, but no less vibrant South Asian epicenters bloomed.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Dec. 2023
Cite this Entry
“South Asian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/South%20Asian. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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