political
gb/pəlˈɪtɪkəl/ us/pəlˈɪtɪkəl/
B1
English
~ 400
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
Related to government or politics
About how a country or place is governed and how decisions are made.
Usage pattern:
[something] is political
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'political' with 'policy'; 'political' describes the general sphere of politics, while 'policy' is a specific plan or rule.
Synonyms
governmental (More formal; used mainly in official or academic contexts.)
|
civic (Often refers to citizens' roles and responsibilities rather than the structures of government.)
Antonyms
apolitical (Not interested in or connected to politics.)
Collocations
political party
|political system
|political leader
|political decision
|political debate
Themes
government
|society
|law
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The country is facing a major political crisis.
- She is very active in local political campaigns.
- The law was passed after months of political debate.
- Political leaders met to discuss climate change.
- The political system has changed significantly over the last decade.
Learner examples
- The city has many political problems.
- He wants to join a political group.
- They talked about political issues on TV.
- The president gave a political speech.
- People are interested in political news.
adjective
B2
property
2
Influenced by political motives
Done for reasons about politics, not just facts or needs.
Usage pattern:
[decision/action] is political
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the general meaning of 'political'; here it specifically refers to motives based on politics rather than neutral reasoning.
Synonyms
partisan (Implies strong support for one side, often without considering other views.)
Antonyms
nonpartisan (Not connected to any political party or bias.)
Collocations
political motive
|political decision
|political move
Themes
government
|society
|politics
Examples
- The appointment was seen as a purely political move.
- His criticism of the policy was more political than practical.
- The decision was made for political reasons, not economic ones.
Learner examples
- They made a political choice to win votes.
- The change was for political reasons only.
- Her speech was a political attack on the other party.
adjective
B1
property
3
Interested in politics
Liking to talk about or work in politics.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is political
Synonyms
politically engaged (Suggests active involvement rather than passive interest.)
Antonyms
apolitical (Not interested in politics at all.)
Collocations
political activist
|political thinker
Themes
society
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He has always been very political, even as a teenager.
- She became more political after joining the student union.
- The group attracts young, political people.
Learner examples
- My brother is very political.
- She is political and goes to many meetings.
- He became political after college.
Grammar
Dictionary form
political
IPA
GB/pəlˈɪtɪkəl/
US/pəlˈɪtɪkəl/
Syllables & stress
polit - ic - al (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ic)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: political
Word family
Core family
Related words
policy
noun B1
politicize
verb C1
Negative and opposite forms
apolitical
adjective
nonpolitical
adjective
Advanced or less common
politicization
noun
Expressions
political correctness
1/pəlˈɪtɪkəl kɚˈɛktnəs/
fixed phrase
Avoiding offensive language or behavior
Trying not to say or do things that could upset certain groups of people.
Examples
- Some people think political correctness has gone too far.
- Political correctness aims to promote respect and inclusion.
political correctness
1/pəlˈɪtɪkəl kɚˈɛktnəs/
fixed phrase
avoiding language that offends
speaking and acting to avoid offending groups
Examples
- The comedian complained that political correctness was limiting what people could joke about.
- The training focused on political correctness in workplace communication.
- What counts as political correctness can change over time.
political will
1/pəlˈɪtɪkəl wˈɪl/
fixed phrase
Government determination to act
The desire and plan of politicians to make something happen.
Examples
- The project failed because there was no political will to support it.
- Political will is necessary to bring about reform.
political landscape
1/pəlˈɪtɪkəl lˈændskˌeɪp/
fixed phrase
Current state of politics
The way politics look at a certain time, including the parties and issues.
Examples
- The political landscape has changed dramatically in recent years.
- Recent events have altered the political landscape significantly.
- New parties have entered the political landscape.
- The election could change the political landscape for years to come.