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invitational

American  
[in-vi-tey-shuh-nl] / ˌɪn vɪˈteɪ ʃə nl /

adjective

  1. restricted to participants who have been invited.

    an invitational track meet.

noun

  1. an event, as a sports competition or an art exhibit, restricted to those who have been invited to participate.

Etymology

Origin of invitational

First recorded in 1920–25; invitation + -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.

Like an evangelist giving an altar call, his bid is invitational in nature.

From Salon • Mar. 9, 2026

Like an evangelist giving an altar call, his bid is invitational in nature.

From Salon • Mar. 9, 2026

Some think it’s the first time a St. John Bosco student won an invitational title.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

The 17-year-old Texan won the invitational event by 0.70 of a second over Penn State's Handal Roban to become the sixth-fastest athlete indoors in 800m history.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

The meet was an invitational, and Merryl hadn’t qualified—something that didn’t bother her a bit.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

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.