positional

adjective

po·​si·​tion·​al pə-ˈzi-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce positional (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or fixed by position
positional astronomy
2
: involving little movement
positional warfare
3
: dependent on position or environment or context
the front-articulated \k\ in \kē\ key and the back-articulated \k\ in \kül\ cool are positional variants
positionally adverb

Examples of positional in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Towns finished with eight points, seven rebounds and three assists but turned the ball over three times, shot two-of-seven from the field, and lost his positional matchup to Davis, the former perennial All-Star whose career was derailed by injury. — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026 At least last season the Chargers could point to a specific positional breakdown. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 Differences between the mid- and forebrain seem to arise later, and largely due to the action of signaling molecules that diffuse through the developing brain and provide positional information. — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026 Samanski quickly emerged as the Condors’ top centre based on range of skills and positional awareness. — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for positional

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of positional was circa 1560

Phrases Containing positional

Rhymes for positional

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Browse Nearby Words

position
positional
positional notation
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Cite this Entry

“Positional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/positional. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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