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Showing results for contextual. Search instead for contextural.
Synonyms

contextual

American  
[kuhn-teks-choo-uhl] / kənˈtɛks tʃu əl /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or depending on the context.

contextual British  
/ kənˈtɛkstjʊəl /

adjective

  1. relating to, dependent on, or using context

    contextual criticism of a book
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • contextually adverb
  • noncontextual adjective
  • noncontextually adverb

Etymology

Origin of contextual

1805–15; < Latin contextu-, stem of contextus context + -al 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That also has unsettling contextual implications that the writers can’t gloss over.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

Absent any contextual identity, the names and dates Mayan inscriptions reveal are simply that: names and dates.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Beyond OpenAI, Microsoft has been running contextual ads and sponsored content in its Copilot AI assistant since 2023.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

But the launch of dedicated health AI services will make it more personalized and contextual.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026

Bottom-up attention operates unconsciously, automatically, driven by sensory stimulus and contextual cues.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.