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
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The positional move, along with his developing body, set the stage for his creative style of play. Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026 Marks has spent the last two drafts adding young players with size, skill and positional flexibility. C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026 His field vision and positional awareness were rare in a player of his age, perhaps developed in part by his love of chess. Miami Herald, 11 June 2026 Their authority is not positional. Brett Hurt, Fortune, 23 June 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

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Cite this Entry

“Positional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/positional. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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