political
Pluralpoliticals
- 1Relating to politics and government, or to a state and the units it is divided into for governing.
She avoids political discussions at family dinners.
The senator built his political career on education reform.
UsageMostly before a noun (political party, political career); the noun is politics, and the people in it are politicians.
- 2Motivated by self-interested political calculation (concern with elections, power dynamics, or ideology) rather than by merit or fairness; used disapprovingly.
The judge's supporters dismissed the investigation as purely political.
The governor insists the timing of the highway grants was not political, though they were announced a week before the vote.
UsageOften after a verb: dismissed as political, was purely political.
Similarpartisan, politicized
Oppositeimpartial, nonpartisan, objective
Note
An accusation more than a description: calling a rate cut or an investigation political charges that elections, power or ideology decided it rather than merit. Because the same word also works neutrally, the surrounding sentence has to signal which reading is meant.
- 3Interested in politics.
She comes from a deeply political family that argues about elections at every holiday.
He was never political until the factory closures pushed him to organize.
UsageOften with very or deeply, or after become: a deeply political family, he became political.
Oppositeapolitical
- 4Concerning ideas about power, status, influence, or conflict within relationships between people or groups.
Hiring decisions are deeply political, shaped by who holds influence in the company.
She argues that fashion is political, signaling status and group identity.
UsageOften after is or are: fashion is political; in a workplace, people speak of office politics.
Less common meanings
- 5A person imprisoned for political offenses or beliefs; a political prisoner.
He spent six years as a political before the amnesty.
In the camp, politicals and ordinary criminals were housed in separate barracks.
UsageOften plural (politicals and ordinary criminals); outside prison talk, political prisoner is the usual term.
- 6An agent or officer who handles political affairs on behalf of a government.
- 7A publication, such as a magazine or journal, that focuses on politics.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
Formed from "politic" combined with the suffix "-al".
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 1 fact
- Political was formed from politic and the suffix -al. en.wiktionary.org