Synonyms of national

national 1 of 2

adjective

ˈna-sh(ə-)nəl 

as in federal

of or relating to a nation

played the home team's national anthem before the start of the soccer game

Synonyms & Similar Words

• federal
• civil
• internal
• municipal
• public
• government
• democratic
• civic
• governmental
• domestic
• nationwide
• republican
• intestine

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• international
• global
• foreign
• nonnational
• external
• alien

national

2 of 2

noun

as in citizen

a person who owes allegiance to a government and is protected by it

recommended that foreign nationals living in the region evacuate immediately

Synonyms & Similar Words

• citizen
• resident
• subject
• freeman
• inhabitant
• native
• countryman
• compatriot
• nonimmigrant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• alien
• stranger
• foreigner
• immigrant
• noncitizen
• nonnative

Synonym Chooser

How is the word national distinct from other similar nouns?

The words citizen and subject are common synonyms of national. While all three words mean "a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state," national designates one who may claim the protection of a state and applies especially to one living or traveling outside that state.

American nationals working in the Middle East

When can citizen be used instead of national?

The synonyms citizen and national are sometimes interchangeable, but citizen is preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people.

the rights of a free citizen

In what contexts can subject take the place of national?

The words subject and national can be used in similar contexts, but subject implies allegiance to a personal sovereign such as a monarch.

the king's subjects

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of national

Adjective

The county’s voting patterns have long been seen as a indicator of what will happen in Texas and national elections. — Maven Navarro updated August 26, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026

Abu Dhabi healthcare company M42 signed a 10-year contract with the government of Botswana to roll out a national genomics program, digitize health records, and bolster access to medicines. — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Noun

Citizenship and residency requirements Borrowers must be United States citizens, non-citizen nationals or qualified aliens to qualify for a USDA mortgage loan. — Deane Biermeier, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2026

That 2023 event saw Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups kill 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals and abduct 251 people. — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026