national 1 of 2

adjective

ˈna-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce national (audio)
Definition of nationalnext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of national
Adjective
There were expectations that this could’ve been TCU’s best offensive line since making the run to the national championship game in 2022. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026 Lula has instead emphasized multilateralism, ties with the Global South and China — Brazil’s largest export market — and his resistance to Trump’s tariff measures as a defense of national sovereignty. — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Noun
As many as 10 other Americans, including dual nationals, remain in Russian custody. — Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 China's been more selective, oftentimes on local races or smaller issues, oftentimes with Chinese nationals involved. — Eric McDaniel, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for national
Recent Examples of Synonyms for national
  1. federal
  2. citizen
  3. civil
  4. internal
  5. municipal
  6. public
  7. government
Adjective
  • An Orange County woman is facing federal criminal charges after being accused of luring a pit bull puppy underneath her minivan and running it over in an incident that was caught on video.
    — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
  • These elections will be fine with federal watchers inside or outside the polling centers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of federal
Noun
  • Every summer, the state plays host to the largest, longest-running citizen bike tour in the world.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Those convicted of lying on applications to become American citizens face up to a decade.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of citizen
Adjective
  • Manish Kumar, a professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering and chemical engineering at UT Austin, said the goal is to simplify the recovery of lithium from complex mixtures.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Part of the reform focused on eliminating misdemeanor criminal penalties, arrests and jail time for unlicensed mobile food vendors and replacing them with civil violations and fines.
    — Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of civil
Adjective
  • In internal studies, Adalat has seen major improvements in the number of witnesses heard and orders issued at courts that use its tools, which have reached more than 6,000 courtrooms across 11 states.
    — Zoë Schiffer, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal strategy.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of internal
Adjective
  • Under that alternative, the city would keep its K-5 school, while part of the space at Lloyd Estates would be used by an outside partner or municipal government.
    — Tim Lonergan, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
  • And Florida law prohibits candidates from using state, county, municipal or district employees’ services during work hours to advance their campaigns.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of municipal
Adjective
  • Harmless stories, dangerous behavior Some datasets explored seemingly ordinary subjects, including beekeeping, professional wrestling, and historical public-health cases.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Like Blonde on Blonde, Drukqs was the prolonged exhalation that closed its maker’s years as a celebrity at the vanguard of a genre and inaugurated a long period of reflection and tinkering away from the light of public expectation.
    — Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of public
Adjective
  • In the park opposite the National Assembly, hundreds of volunteers are cleaning up the mess left behind by a pro-government camp that had made the area a no-go zone for most citizens.
    — Guy De Launey, NPR, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The parliament didn’t provide a breakdown of the closed-door vote, but the chamber is overwhelmingly dominated by pro-government lawmakers.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of government

Browse Nearby Words

nation
national
national guard
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Cite this Entry

“National.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/national. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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