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internal

adjective
in·​ter·​nal | \ in-ˈtÉ™r-nᵊl How to pronounce internal (audio) , ˈin-ËŒtÉ™r-\

Definition of internal

1 : existing or situated within the limits or surface of something: such as
a(1) : situated near the inside of the body
(2) : situated on the side toward the median plane of the body
b : of, relating to, or occurring on the inside of an organized structure (such as a club, company, or state) internal affairs
2 : relating or belonging to or existing within the mind
3 : intrinsic, inherent internal evidence of forgery in a document
4 : present or arising within an organism or one of its parts internal stimulus
5 : applied or intended for application through the stomach by being swallowed an internal remedy
Other Words from internal Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about internal

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Other Words from internal

internality \ ËŒin-​ËŒtÉ™r-​ˈna-​lÉ™-​tÄ“ How to pronounce internality (audio) \ noun
internally \ in-​ˈtÉ™r-​nᵊl-​Ä“ How to pronounce internally (audio) \ adverb

Synonyms & Antonyms for internal

Synonyms

inner, inside, interior, inward

Antonyms

exterior, external, outer, outside, outward

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Examples of internal in a Sentence

the internal structure of the planet a patient who is experiencing internal bleeding

Recent Examples on the Web

 As much as its external aesthetics, the Air’s internal layout demonstrates the design brilliance that helped Apple dominate the consumer technology market. — Kevin Dupzyk, Popular Mechanics, "Things Come Apart: MacBook Air," 24 Aug. 2019 As a result, all its internal documents remain sealed. — Barry Meier, New York Times, "A Nun, a Doctor and a Lawyer — and Deep Regret Over the Nation’s Handling of Opioids," 18 Aug. 2019 Attorneys included emails and internal documents in motions to bolster their position that drug companies on multiple levels ignored numerous red flags, including suspiciously large pill orders, according to The Washington Post. — Eric Heisig, cleveland.com, "Pharmacies across Ohio received large amounts of painkillers as opioid epidemic ramped up," 31 July 2019 In the first quarter of 2019, Brewer’s firm charged over ninety-seven thousand dollars per day, according to internal N.R.A. documents posted anonymously online. — Mike Spies, The New Yorker, "New Documents Raise Ethical and Billing Concerns About the N.R.A.’s Outside Counsel," 30 July 2019 In the first quarter of 2019, Brewer’s firm charged over $97,000 per day, according to internal NRA documents posted anonymously online. — Mike Spies, ProPublica, "New Documents Raise Ethical and Billing Concerns About the NRA’s Outside Counsel," 30 July 2019 And internal Facebook documents published by the UK parliament provide evidence of Facebook identifying WhatsApp as a competitive threat before buying it. — Sally Hubbard For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, "Facebook needs more than a $5 billion fine. It needs a new business model," 25 July 2019 Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have been arrested 176 times since October for a range of criminal offenses, according to internal agency documents reviewed by Quartz. — Zoë Schlanger, Quartz, "Border officers are arrested 5 times more often than other US law enforcement," 16 July 2019 Ford is fighting to keep confidential internal documents that plaintiffs’ lawyers believe could include Mulally. — Freep.com, "FREE PRESS INVESTIGATION: OUT OF GEAR Ford knew Focus, Fiesta models had flawed transmission, sold them anyway," 11 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'internal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of internal

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for internal

Middle English internalle, from Latin internus; akin to Latin inter between

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More Definitions for internal

internal

adjective
How to pronounce internal (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of internal

: existing or located on the inside of something
: coming from inside
: existing or occurring within your body

See the full definition for internal in the English Language Learners Dictionary

internal

adjective
in·​ter·​nal | \ in-ˈtÉ™r-nᵊl How to pronounce internal (audio) \

Kids Definition of internal

1 : being within something : inner The core is part of the earth's internal structure.
2 : occurring or located within the body The heart is an internal organ.
3 : existing or occurring within a country internal affairs

Other Words from internal

internally adverb

internal

adjective
in·​ter·​nal | \ in-ˈtÉ™rn-ᵊl How to pronounce internal (audio) \

Medical Definition of internal

1 : existing or situated within the limits or surface of something: as
a : situated near the inside of the body an internal layer of abdominal muscle
b : situated on the side toward the midsagittal plane of the body the internal surface of the lung
2 : present or arising within an organism or one of its parts

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