racial

adjective

ˈrā-shəl How to pronounce racial (audio)
Definition of racialnext
as in ethnic
of, relating to, or reflecting the traits exhibited by a group of people with a common ancestry and culture a survey that included an optional question regarding racial identity, age, and other personal information

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 racial Trustee Rema Vassar last week filed a federal lawsuit against MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz and others, alleging racial discrimination. — CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026 Iowa just agreed to pay $4 million in a racial discrimination lawsuit. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Nov. 2026 Salim said she and Raman were spit on and called racial slurs. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026 The Justice Department sought the records as part of an investigation into whether Harvard is complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars racial discrimination in education programs. — CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for racial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racial
  1. ethnic
  2. ethnical
Adjective
  • Fano, a loose network of ethnic Amhara militias, has battled federal forces in Amhara since 2023.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The arenas program a multi-ethnic, genre-fluid coalition of young female stars.
    — Shauna Lyon, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of ethnic
Adjective
  • Genocide is defined as attempting to partly or wholly destroy a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.
    — Ellie Cook Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The United Nations broadly defines genocide as seriously harming or killing members of a group with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.
    — Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2022
Definition of ethnical

Browse Nearby Words

raceways
racial
racialism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Racial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racial. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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