as in citizens
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 nationals
Visitors to K’gari are warned of the risks, but James says young foreign nationals like his daughter, who work on the island, need firmer guardrails.
—
Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Four Guyanese nationals and two Colombians were sanctioned for allegedly trafficking tons of cocaine from South America to the United States, Europe and the Caribbean.
—CBS News, 23 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people, including foreign nationals, remain held in the detention camps.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 23 Jan. 2026
Federal prosecutors there indicted Venezuelan nationals accused of participating in organized robberies, kidnappings, extortion schemes and firearms offenses tied to the transnational gang Tren de Aragua.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Trump has faced various legal challenges to that order, including the challenge by a group of Venezuelan nationals backed by the ACLU, which was heard by the full bench of the 5th Circuit.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 22 Jan. 2026
Spain’s coastal market has typically been powered by foreign second-home buyers, while cities are the main residential market for Spanish nationals.
—Zoë Dare Hall, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
According to the Federal Register, the rule targeting certain foreign nationals is based on factors including visa overstay rates, whether foreigners can acquire citizenship in those nations through financial investments, and gaps in screening and vetting information.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
The injured include 68 Swiss citizens, 21 French nationals, 10 Italians, four Serbs, two Poles and one person each from Australia, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Portugal and the Republic of Congo, according to a police statement.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Four Guyanese nationals and two Colombians were sanctioned for allegedly trafficking tons of cocaine from South America to the United States, Europe and the Caribbean.
—CBS News, 23 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people, including foreign nationals, remain held in the detention camps.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 23 Jan. 2026
Federal prosecutors there indicted Venezuelan nationals accused of participating in organized robberies, kidnappings, extortion schemes and firearms offenses tied to the transnational gang Tren de Aragua.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Trump has faced various legal challenges to that order, including the challenge by a group of Venezuelan nationals backed by the ACLU, which was heard by the full bench of the 5th Circuit.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 22 Jan. 2026
Spain’s coastal market has typically been powered by foreign second-home buyers, while cities are the main residential market for Spanish nationals.
—Zoë Dare Hall, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
According to the Federal Register, the rule targeting certain foreign nationals is based on factors including visa overstay rates, whether foreigners can acquire citizenship in those nations through financial investments, and gaps in screening and vetting information.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
The injured include 68 Swiss citizens, 21 French nationals, 10 Italians, four Serbs, two Poles and one person each from Australia, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Portugal and the Republic of Congo, according to a police statement.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nationals
citizens
Noun
-
McCain had known the Clutters, and was familiar with leading citizens of Garden City, the nearest big town to Holcomb.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Last January, Navajo leaders advised citizens to carry their Certificate of Indian Blood or tribal identification card.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nationals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nationals. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
