political

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'political' is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adjective used to describe something related to politics, government, or public affairs. Examples include: -The current political situation in the United States is volatile. -The president's political agenda has generated a great deal of controversy. -The upcoming election will be a highly political event.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But it is no less shocking to consider that, far from being neutral as was claimed at the time, it is clear that the government took a deliberately calculated political approach guided by a complete hostility to the coalfield communities.

The Guardian

It is Alice in Wonderland territory, Orwellian almost, for any government of any political persuasion to seek to come along and try to rewrite the lexicon.

The New York Times

Nazarbayev permitted a relatively high degree of political activity until the emergence of a reform movement called Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan, backed by several wealthy business people, in late 2001.

The Guardian

At first Uzbekistan had a competitive political system but by 1995 Karimov had eliminated all opposition.

The Guardian

In 1999 the compliant parliament voted for Niyazov to become president for life, and in 2002, he used an alleged assassination attempt to legitimise a far-reaching crackdown on political opponents.

The Guardian

But any irony involved in a coalition government that came to power pledging to scrap identity cards introducing a system of foreign residence permits will be lost as the political parties indulge in "a race to the bottom" over immigration.

The Guardian

Chief executives of companies such as Burberry, Tesco, Vodafone, BAE Systems, Prudential and GSK were keen to take a final opportunity to lobby the prime minister in advance of the meeting of political leaders in Northern Ireland.

The Guardian - Tech

Subsequently, Karimov tightened controls over political and economic life.

The Guardian

But, as usual, I will also be flagging up any breaking political news, posting summaries with a round-up of all the day's developments, and highlighting the most interesting political articles on the web.

The Guardian

Political funds are already subject to approval being given in regular ballots by unions.

The Guardian

The political rhetoric over immigration will further intensify on Monday as David Cameron promises to ban all EU nationals from claiming most benefits after six months in the UK unless they can prove they have been continuously looking for work over that period.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "political" to describe actions, decisions, or events that are related to governance, public administration, or power dynamics. Ensure the context clearly indicates the connection to these domains.

Common error

Avoid using "political" loosely to describe any situation involving disagreement or conflict. Reserve it for contexts genuinely related to government, policy, or power structures.

Linguistic Context

The word "political" primarily functions as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate a connection to politics, government, or public affairs. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage aligns with standard grammatical rules. The examples provided showcase its application in various contexts, from describing principles to actions within the political sphere.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "political" functions as a common adjective used to describe matters related to politics, governance, and public affairs. Ludwig AI confirms its correct grammatical standing. It appears most frequently in news and media, maintaining a neutral register. While "political" is a versatile descriptor, avoid overuse in contexts outside the realms of government and policy. As highlighted by Ludwig, alternative phrases like "governmental" or "civic" can provide more nuanced meanings depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Governmental

Focuses specifically on the structures and functions of government.

Policy-related

Emphasizes the connection to established or proposed courses of action.

Civic

Relates to the duties and rights of citizens.

Public affairs

Broader term encompassing issues of public interest and concern.

Electoral

Specifically connected to elections and the process of voting.

State

Relates directly to the condition or matters of a state.

Diplomatic

Involves managing relationships between nations.

Strategic

Focuses on planning and achieving long-term goals, often in a competitive context.

Partisan

Relates to strong allegiance to a particular party or cause.

Geopolitical

Combines geography and politics to describe international relations.

FAQs

How is "political" used in a sentence?

The adjective "political" is used to describe something related to politics, government, or public affairs. For example, "The president's political views are often discussed in the media."

What are some alternatives to "political"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "governmental", "civic", or "policy-related".

When is it appropriate to use "political" versus "politicized"?

"Political" describes something related to politics, while "politicized" means something has become political, often controversially so.

What's the difference between "political" and "diplomatic"?

"Political" refers to matters of governance and power, while "diplomatic" specifically relates to managing relationships between countries.