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 county’s voting patterns have long been seen as a indicator of what will happen in Texas and national elections. — Maven Navarro updated August 26, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026 Abu Dhabi healthcare company M42 signed a 10-year contract with the government of Botswana to roll out a national genomics program, digitize health records, and bolster access to medicines. — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
Over 3,915 others are still missing, including at least 583 foreign nationals. — Surendra Phuyal, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026 According to the report, the South Korean government compelled Coupang to hire divers for a covert mission to retrieve a laptop used in the breach by a disgruntled former employee — who is a Chinese national — from a river in Shanghai. — Justin Papp, CNBC, 31 Aug. 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
  • His father, Kenneth Getty, who died last year, was convicted and sentenced to federal prison for bid-rigging stemming from his time as mayor in the 1990s.
    — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The practice expands Canyon County’s long-running cooperation with federal immigration agents, including controversial jail holds and a 2025 racetrack raid that prompted racial profiling lawsuits from Latino families.
    — Rachel Spacek, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of federal
Noun
  • Zelensky said a care home for elderly citizens and people living with disabilities was among the dozens of building damaged in the latest attack, and that more than 300 emergency services personnel were responding at the scene.
    — Svitlana Vlasova, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Experts have cautioned that Iran’s repressive regime is unlikely to be swayed by the suffering of ordinary citizens and is prepared to wait out economic hardship longer than Americans can endure high gas prices.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of citizen
Adjective
  • Seeing all the fiancé’s extended family in our city for the civil ceremony and reception and friends at the reception put a very poignant sting in our hearts for the four local family members who weren’t included.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Retailers and insurers often require it; product recalls are an expensive bad look; and there are major civil or criminal penalties if a product causes harm.
    — Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of civil
Adjective
  • Mayor Zohran Mamdani said an internal investigation will be conducted and that the body-camera footage will be released to the public.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Mamdani applauded police for stopping the attack but said an internal investigation would be conducted.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of internal
Adjective
  • Phoenix could lose some municipal and industrial water for the first time and turn to backup supplies.
    — Wufei Yu, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
  • None of this is expected to happen until after municipal elections, scheduled for the end of October.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of municipal
Adjective
  • Shein's Hong Kong debut comes after earlier attempts to go public in New York and London did not materialize.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • This was far from Towns’ first public splash in the sports card space.
    — Larry Holder, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of public
Adjective
  • At the height of the conflict with the United States this year, women without the headscarf were often seen at pro-government gatherings and in state media.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Veiled pro-government supporters carrying flags take part in a ceremony commemorating the memory of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque in downtown Tehran, Iran, on August 18, 2026.
    — Azhar Sukri, CNBC, 22 Aug. 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 2 Sep. 2026.

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