national

Connected with a whole country, or affecting people throughout that country.

• Tomorrow is a national holiday.
• She plays for the national team.
• The story appeared in several national newspapers.

Similar words: countrywide, nationwide

Opposites: local

Common phrases: national team, national holiday, national newspaper

Connected with a particular country or its people.

• The national flag flew above the school.
• Rice is part of their national dish.
• They sang the national anthem before the match.

Common phrases: national flag, national identity, national dish

Present or operating in most or all parts of a country.

• She works for a national chain of shops.
• The company has a national network of offices.
• Their business grew from a local shop into a national company.

Similar words: nationwide, countrywide

Opposites: local

Common phrases: national chain, national network, national company

A person who legally belongs to a particular country.

• She is a French national.
• Several foreign nationals applied for visas.
• The embassy helped its nationals return home.

Similar words: citizen

Common phrases: foreign national, British national, French national

A competition with players or teams from across a country, usually called the nationals.

• Our team reached the nationals.
• She qualified for nationals in swimming.
• They won their regional match but lost at the nationals.

Similar words: national championships

Common phrases: the nationals, at nationals, reach nationals