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
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
Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Given his recent injury history and expiring contract, maybe he could be had for a conditional late-round pick swap (think a sixth-round pick for a seventh-round pick) with the Titans.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 28 Oct. 2025
Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Neuroscientists have already identified distinct brain activity patterns when programmers think about loops, conditionals or data structures.
—Somdip Dey, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conditional
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Adjective
Knox has suggested that the price tag could end up being a conditional 2026 second-round pick and a defensive player.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Given his recent injury history and expiring contract, maybe he could be had for a conditional late-round pick swap (think a sixth-round pick for a seventh-round pick) with the Titans.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
But those are all conditionals, in various ways.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Neuroscientists have already identified distinct brain activity patterns when programmers think about loops, conditionals or data structures.
—Somdip Dey, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conditional
Cite this Entry
“Conditional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conditional. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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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