con·di·tion·al
kən-ˈdish-nəl 
-ˈdi-shə-nᵊl
1
: subject to, implying, or dependent upon a condition
a conditional promise
2
: expressing, containing, or implying a supposition
the conditional clause if he speaks
3
a
: true only for certain values of the variables or symbols involved
conditional equations
b
: stating the case when one or more random variables are fixed or one or more events are known
conditional frequency distribution
4
a
: conditioned sense 2
conditional reflex
conditional response
b
: established by conditioning as the stimulus eliciting a conditional response
1
: a conditional word, clause, verb form, or morpheme
Synonyms
Examples of conditional in a Sentence
Adjective
“If she speaks, you must listen” is a conditional sentence.
The sentence contains the conditional clause “if she speaks.”
Noun
The clause “if she speaks” is a conditional.
The conditional is often marked by the word “if.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2024
Weeks before the start of the 2012 season, the Dolphins traded Davis to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2013 second-round pick and a conditional 2013 sixth-round pick.
—Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
The company that owns Palisades Energy LLC, Holtec International, will receive up to a $1.52 billion conditional loan from the U.S. Department of Energy.
—Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 27 Mar. 2024
The lawyer devised a strategy: Mr. Herbold and Ms. Sharr could become Ricardo’s conditional guardians.
—Deborah Sontag, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Self-driving cars aren’t here yet, but several automakers include software and hardware in their vehicles that allow for conditional hands-free driving and include safety features designed to make driving easier and safer.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024
However, the process is the same as the other programs: complete an application, receive conditional approval, and schedule an interview at an enrollment center.
—Harrison Pierce, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2024
He was granted a conditional release in March 2022.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 8 Mar. 2024
Former Mets star deGrom went to Texas last offseason on a $185 million, five-year deal that had a conditional option to add 2028 based on the elbow surgery that limited him to 30 1/3 innings.
—Stephen Hawkins, USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2024
Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 5 Dec. 2023
The precise nature of the problem as described by NHTSA included numerous conditionals and caveats that indicate the risks are not necessarily grave.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2023
It’s the conditional of the spatial that is at stake.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2023
Jamey Dubose said on social media his conditional already was improving.
—Ben Thomas | Bthomas@al.com, al, 16 Oct. 2020
All this storytelling can give the agitated mind something to churn on, but obsessing over conditionals can also add to the moment-to-moment burden of preventing sickness and death, and tending to the sick and dying.
—Virginia Heffernan, Wired, 21 Apr. 2020
All of those conditionals, again, stem from the fact that these materials don't yet exist, at least not in quantity, and even 2030 might not be a long enough timeline to find and mass-produce them.
—Brian Barrett, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2018
Batuman writes; Nina’s reality remains untroubled by conditionals and subjunctives.
—Katy Waldman, Slate Magazine, 20 Mar. 2017
Adjective
Wednesday, the Oneida County Planning and Development Committee denied a conditional use permit for the project.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2024
Weeks before the start of the 2012 season, the Dolphins traded Davis to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2013 second-round pick and a conditional 2013 sixth-round pick.
—Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
The company that owns Palisades Energy LLC, Holtec International, will receive up to a $1.52 billion conditional loan from the U.S. Department of Energy.
—Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 27 Mar. 2024
The lawyer devised a strategy: Mr. Herbold and Ms. Sharr could become Ricardo’s conditional guardians.
—Deborah Sontag, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Self-driving cars aren’t here yet, but several automakers include software and hardware in their vehicles that allow for conditional hands-free driving and include safety features designed to make driving easier and safer.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024
However, the process is the same as the other programs: complete an application, receive conditional approval, and schedule an interview at an enrollment center.
—Harrison Pierce, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2024
He was granted a conditional release in March 2022.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 8 Mar. 2024
Former Mets star deGrom went to Texas last offseason on a $185 million, five-year deal that had a conditional option to add 2028 based on the elbow surgery that limited him to 30 1/3 innings.
—Stephen Hawkins, USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2024
Noun
Each monthly box is filled with fun activities and projects that cover a variety of coding topics ranging from variables and loops to conditionals and functions.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 5 Dec. 2023
The precise nature of the problem as described by NHTSA included numerous conditionals and caveats that indicate the risks are not necessarily grave.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2023
It’s the conditional of the spatial that is at stake.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2023
Jamey Dubose said on social media his conditional already was improving.
—Ben Thomas | Bthomas@al.com, al, 16 Oct. 2020
All this storytelling can give the agitated mind something to churn on, but obsessing over conditionals can also add to the moment-to-moment burden of preventing sickness and death, and tending to the sick and dying.
—Virginia Heffernan, Wired, 21 Apr. 2020
All of those conditionals, again, stem from the fact that these materials don't yet exist, at least not in quantity, and even 2030 might not be a long enough timeline to find and mass-produce them.
—Brian Barrett, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2018
Batuman writes; Nina’s reality remains untroubled by conditionals and subjunctives.
—Katy Waldman, Slate Magazine, 20 Mar. 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conditional.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near conditional
Cite this Entry
“Conditional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conditional. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
conditional
adjective
con·di·tion·al
kən-ˈdish-nəl, -ən-ᵊl
1
a
: conditioned
conditional reflex
conditional response
b
: eliciting a conditional response
a conditional stimulus
2
: permitting survival only under special growth or environmental conditions
conditional lethal mutations
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