conditional

1 of 2

adjective

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

conditionality

kən-ˌdi-shə-ˈna-lə-tē 

noun

conditionally

kən-ˈdish-nə-lē 

-ˈdi-shə-nə-lē

adverb

conditional

2 of 2

noun

1

: a conditional word, clause, verb form, or morpheme

2

: implication sense 3b

Synonyms

Adjective

• contingent (on or upon)
• dependent
• subject (to)
• tentative

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

Adjective

The law prohibits employers with five or more employees from asking about a job applicant’s criminal history before making a conditional job offer, and sets in place specific procedures for considering an applicant’s criminal history after a job offer is made. —Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024

Haigh pleaded guilty to fraud by misrepresentation and was given a conditional discharge. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 30 Nov. 2024

Noun

Each monthly box is filled with fun activities and projects that cover a variety of coding topics ranging from variables and loops to conditionals and functions. —Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 5 Dec. 2023

The precise nature of the problem as described by NHTSA included numerous conditionals and caveats that indicate the risks are not necessarily grave. —Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing conditional

• conditional probability
• the conditional

Kids Definition

conditional

adjective

con·​di·​tion·​al

kən-ˈdish-nəl,

-ən-ᵊl

1

: depending on a condition

a conditional sale

2

: expressing, containing, or implying something supposed

"if we go" is a conditional clause

conditionally

-nə-lē

-ən-ᵊl-ē

adverb

Medical 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

conditionally

-ˈdish-nə-lē, -ən-ᵊl-ē 

adverb