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
The profile was uploaded to the national Combined DNA Index System, but no matches were found at that time. — Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026 As businesses and individuals become more conscious of their surging AI spending, some are turning to freely available models from China for certain tasks, raising national concerns in the US. — Shirin Ghaffary, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Noun
On July 7, a Mexican national, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, was fatally shot by an ICE officer during a traffic stop in Houston. — Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 14 July 2026 Hundreds of people protested in Maine on Tuesday over the killing Monday of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 26-year-old Colombian national, by an ICE officer. — Arkansas Online, 14 July 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
  • The federal health agency has received nearly 7,000 reports of people across the country experiencing diarrhea and other symptoms associated with cyclosporiasis.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
  • The call led to a massive local, state and federal law enforcement presence racing up the one-lane road to the campsite, located 2,000 feet up in rough terrain in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, authorities said.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Definition of federal
Noun
  • The ministry instructed citizens to remain calm and head to the nearest safe space.
    — Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • Pop stars and civilians alike are invested in being perceived as good literary citizens.
    — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026
Definition of citizen
Adjective
  • Florida's attorney general can collect civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation, reasonable attorney fees, and court costs, while minors can also pursue up to $10,000 in damages.
    — Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine, 14 July 2026
  • In light of the clashes, the civil grand jury supported the commission’s push to look for outside representation to enforce its role.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of civil
Adjective
  • This bill backs scientific evidence showing morning light is better for students because of the body’s internal regulation, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
    — Mary Ella Hastings July 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
  • Suppliers can upload data straight from internal systems, pull details out of documents automatically and use Novata’s benchmark library to fill in gaps.
    — Arthur Zackiewicz, Footwear News, 14 July 2026
Definition of internal
Adjective
  • Plainville’s municipal administration did not respond to an invitation to comment.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
  • That year’s Flood Control Act created the Missouri River Basin Project (now known as the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program), mandating coordinated flood-control efforts across municipal and state lines.
    — Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
Definition of municipal
Adjective
  • In recent months, with his cancer diagnosis now public, his attitude had softened and the prospect of him coming back to the stadium was dangling.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • End Wokeness posted a similar critique, arguing the footage conflicted with Hostin's previous public comments about equal treatment under the law.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of public
Adjective
  • By that time, though, many of the ideas Hoan had championed had made their way into the Democratic Party in the proudly pro-government New Deal.
    — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 14 July 2026
  • Other pro-government accounts portrayed the images as evidence that years of confrontation had given way to a more pragmatic relationship.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 July 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 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on national

Nglish: Translation of national for Spanish Speakers

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