plural noun
People who legally belong to a particular country.
Foreign nationals must show their passports.
Nationals of several countries can apply for the visa.
American English
How to pronounce nationals
nounB1Very common word
NAAshuhnlz
/ˈnæ.ʃə.nl̩z/
3 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
Form of national
People who legally belong to a particular country.
What to listen for
“Nationals” is commonly pronounced /ˈnæ.ʃə.nl̩z/. In natural speech, you may also hear the shorter /ˈnæʃ.nl̩z/.
Usual pronunciation/ˈnæ.ʃə.nl̩z/
Common shorter pronunciation/ˈnæʃ.nl̩z/
Meanings & examples
plural noun
A national championship or national-level competition, usually in sports.
She won a gold medal at the nationals.
The swimmers are training for the nationals.