ter·ri·to·ri·al
ˌter-ə-ˈtȯr-ē-əl 
1
a
: of or relating to a territory
territorial government
b
: of or relating to or organized chiefly for home defense
c
: of or relating to private property
2
a
: exhibiting or involving territoriality
territorial birds
b
: of or relating to an assigned or preempted area
territorial commanders
: a member of a territorial military unit
Examples of territorial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Olivier Kempf, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Anacapa Island, for instance, has no services aside from some primitive campsites, a lighthouse and limited hiking options, but is also a major seabird rookery from April to August, which translates to lots of bird poop, noise, bird carcasses and territorial bird behavior.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026
Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
After an initial round of expansion following Russia’s wider invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukrainian ground forces—the army, air assault forces, marine corps, national guard and territorials—could deploy a hundred brigades, each with around 2,000 people.
—David Axe, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for territorial
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Adjective
The vast majority of the fighting has indeed occurred in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts, but territorial gains didn’t seem to be Russia’s sole objective.
—Olivier Kempf, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Anacapa Island, for instance, has no services aside from some primitive campsites, a lighthouse and limited hiking options, but is also a major seabird rookery from April to August, which translates to lots of bird poop, noise, bird carcasses and territorial bird behavior.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
Arranging their first meeting indoors could make your older dog territorial, and scare your puppy off.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
After an initial round of expansion following Russia’s wider invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukrainian ground forces—the army, air assault forces, marine corps, national guard and territorials—could deploy a hundred brigades, each with around 2,000 people.
—David Axe, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for territorial
Cite this Entry
“Territorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/territorial. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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