topical

adjective

top·​i·​cal ˈtä-pi-kəl 

1

a

: referring to the topics of the day or place : of local or temporary interest

a topical novel

topical references

b

: of, relating to, or arranged by topics

set down in topical form

2

: designed for or involving local application and action (as on the body)

a topical anesthetic

a topical remedy

topically

ˈtä-pi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

Like a topical medicine, a topical reference or story applies to something specific, focusing on a topic that's currently in the news. TV comedians often use topical humor, making jokes about a currently popular movie or the latest political scandal—if possible, one that just broke that same day. Topical humor has a short lifespan, though, because the news keeps changing and the new hot topics just keep coming. The medical meaning of topical stays closer to the meaning of the root, since it describes something that's put right on the place that seems to need it.

Examples of topical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In some cases, corticosteroid injections or topical pain-relieving creams may offer temporary relief while longer-term treatments take effect, says Nicolosi. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025

The revival has been updated with occasional topical references, but its power derives from the innately dramatic contest structure, so ingeniously developed by the late composer William Finn and the book writer Rachel Sheinkin that each elimination comes as a surprise. —Hilton Als, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025

The topical solution works by blocking the action of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) — a hormone that causes genetically sensitive hair follicles to shrink — directly at the follicle receptor rather than affecting hormones system-wide, according to Cosmo Pharmaceuticals. —Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 9 Dec. 2025

The partnership was also to help L’Oréal further explore the synergies between injectables and topical treatments. —Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 8 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for topical

• tropical
• intertropical
• microscopical
• neotropical
• subtropical

Kids Definition

topical

adjective

top·​i·​cal ˈtäp-i-kəl 

1

: designed to be applied to or to work on a specific place or part (as of the body)

a topical medicine

2

a

: of or relating to topics

topical outline

b

: referring to the topics of the day or place

topical jokes

topically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

topical

adjective

top·​i·​cal ˈtäp-i-kəl 

: designed for or involving application to or action on the surface of a part of the body

applied a topical anesthetic to numb the skin

eyedrops used in the topical treatment of glaucoma

topically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb