topicality

noun

top·​i·​cal·​i·​ty ˌtä-pə-ˈka-lə-tē How to pronounce topicality (audio)
plural topicalities
1
: the quality or state of being topical
2
: an item of topical interest

Examples of topicality in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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But any working critic will also tell you that topicality and identity have inspired incredible work in previous eras (just listen to Nina Simone) and recently (watch the post-#MeToo masterpiece Tár, about a lesbian orchestra conductor accused of misconduct). Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 5 May 2025 Though almost eerily timely, the political topicality of the exhibition was not deliberate, as the show was a year-and-a-half in the planning. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 4 May 2025 Berry had begun translating Soft Burial shortly after it was published in China but shifted to Wuhan Diary in 2020 because of its topicality. Ian Johnson, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025 An attendee asked about the topicality of the film, with its highly-unusual-for-1975 use of a bisexual lead character who is in love with a trans woman, reflecting the reality of the true-life scenario that was adapted for the screen. Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for topicality

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of topicality was in 1904

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Cite this Entry

“Topicality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topicality. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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