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

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

Kate Perez covers national trends and breaking news for USA TODAY. —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026

The irony is that when national redistricting reform was actually put in front of Congress, the people who are screaming against doing anything now were the ones who voted against it. —David Weigel, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026

Noun

Libya in 2003 took responsibility for both the 1988 plane bombing over Lockerbie, in Scotland, and the bombing of UTA flight 772 over Niger the next year that killed 170 people, including 54 French nationals on board. —ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026

For the many Iranians with ties to Dubai, there are other pressures, with Iranian nationals now barred from entering or transiting through the UAE. —Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 6 Apr. 2026