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Synonyms

environmental

American  
[en-vahy-ruhn-muhn-tl, -vahy-ern-] / ɛnˌvaɪ rənˈmən tl, -ˌvaɪ ərn- /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the totality of things, conditions, influences, cultural forces, etc., that surround and shape the life of a person or a population.

    Investigators in the study will examine possible associations between aggressive prostate cancer and exposures to environmental stressors such as discrimination, early-life adversity, and segregation.

  2. Ecology. of or relating to all the external conditions, such as air, water, minerals, and other organisms, that surround and affect any given organism, often specifically relating to human interaction with these conditions.

    She took 11 lake samples to identify the fish communities present there and the defining environmental factors, like dissolved oxygen, pH, and vegetation.

    Agriculture is now a dominant force behind many environmental threats, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and the degradation of land and fresh water.

  3. of or being art that surrounds the viewer or involves the viewer’s participation, often on a grand scale and outdoors.

    Our programs include an exhibition of global art, public lectures on birds, and a collaborative outdoor installation of environmental art.


Usage

What does environmental mean? Environmental means of or relating to all the things that surround us and influence our lives, as in For some people, environmental stressors included how crowded a room is and how loud the noise is.In ecology, environmental also means of or relating to all external conditions that surround an organism, such as air, water, and minerals. When someone talks about climate change and its environmental impact, they mean that as the average temperature of the Earth changes, it affects the environment, such as through soil erosion, flooding, and more.Less often, environmental describes something that surrounds the viewer or encourages their participation, as with some outdoor art.Example: The environmental damage this project will cause might be unreasonable.

Other Word Forms

  • environmentally adverb
  • interenvironmental adjective
  • nonenvironmental adjective
  • nonenvironmentally adverb
  • preenvironmental adjective
  • proenvironmental adjective

Etymology

Origin of environmental

environment ( def. ) + -al 1 ( def. )

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.

In the skin, low temperatures are mainly detected by an ion channel called TRPM8, which is specialized for sensing cool environmental conditions.

From Science Daily

As Woodside’s CEO, the engineer was forced to confront a rowdy environmental movement that regularly staged protests at the company’s headquarters in Perth—and targeted her home.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The president himself actively participates in the fight against desertification," an official from the environmental ministry told AFP.

From Barron's

Part of that was driven by Kast’s predecessor Gabriel Boric, a one-time student activist who swept to power in 2021 pledging income redistribution and environmental protection.

From Barron's

Joan Casey, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of Washington who was not part of the Cedars-Sinai team, noted that the study found health effects lasting over a longer period than similar studies have.

From Los Angeles Times