1
: situated outside a place or country
especially
: situated outside one's own country
foreign cities
2
: born in, belonging to, or characteristic of some place or country other than the one under consideration
has a large foreign population
foreign languages
3
: of, relating to, or proceeding from some other person or material thing than the one under consideration
foreign aid
4
: alien in character : not connected or pertinent
this design is not foreign from some people's thoughts—
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift5
: related to or dealing with other nations
foreign trade
6
a
: occurring in an abnormal situation in the living body and often introduced from outside
a foreign body lodged in the esophagus
b
: not recognized by the immune system as part of the self
foreign proteins
7
: not being within the jurisdiction of a political unit (such as a state)
foreign corporations
Examples of foreign in a Sentence
They've visited several foreign countries.
We don't get many foreign visitors.
Have you studied any foreign languages?
She has a foreign accent.
the ministry of foreign affairs
Recent Examples on the Web
Israeli and foreign officials told The New York Times the ICC is also considering arrest warrants for Hamas leaders.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 29 Apr. 2024
The Canadian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
—Fox News, 29 Apr. 2024
Previous anti-corruption campaigns under Raúl Castro, who is officially retired but is still leading the country, were led by his son Alejandro Castro Espín, a counterintelligence senior official who was given wide authority to detain high-ranking military officials and foreign investors.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2024
The company’s chief administrative officer told lawmakers in a Senate committee hearing that the amount of foreign macadamia nuts the company buys varies depending on the Hawaii crop.
—Audrey McAvoy, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2024
One such measure—closing the de minimis loophole, which, in effect, allows foreign retailers to import goods into the U.S. one purchase at a time without paying taxes or duties—is currently being considered by Congress.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 29 Apr. 2024
And in rare interviews this weekend with two Israeli news media outlets, a spokesman for Qatar’s foreign ministry blamed both Israel and Hamas for the months of deadlock in the talks.
—Edward Wong, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2024
The Oscar-winning actress, who turned 50 on April 28, has been one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actresses for years, starring in blockbusters like Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, foreign films like Volver and ad campaigns for Chanel.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 28 Apr. 2024
Mexico's foreign ministry, interior ministry and immigration agency, the Instituto Nacional de Migración, didn't respond to requests for comment.
—USA TODAY, 28 Apr. 2024
Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 29 Apr. 2024
The Canadian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
—Fox News, 29 Apr. 2024
Previous anti-corruption campaigns under Raúl Castro, who is officially retired but is still leading the country, were led by his son Alejandro Castro Espín, a counterintelligence senior official who was given wide authority to detain high-ranking military officials and foreign investors.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2024
The company’s chief administrative officer told lawmakers in a Senate committee hearing that the amount of foreign macadamia nuts the company buys varies depending on the Hawaii crop.
—Audrey McAvoy, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2024
One such measure—closing the de minimis loophole, which, in effect, allows foreign retailers to import goods into the U.S. one purchase at a time without paying taxes or duties—is currently being considered by Congress.
—Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 29 Apr. 2024
And in rare interviews this weekend with two Israeli news media outlets, a spokesman for Qatar’s foreign ministry blamed both Israel and Hamas for the months of deadlock in the talks.
—Edward Wong, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2024
The Oscar-winning actress, who turned 50 on April 28, has been one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actresses for years, starring in blockbusters like Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, foreign films like Volver and ad campaigns for Chanel.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 28 Apr. 2024
Mexico's foreign ministry, interior ministry and immigration agency, the Instituto Nacional de Migración, didn't respond to requests for comment.
—USA TODAY, 28 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foreign.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near foreign
Cite this Entry
“Foreign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreign. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
foreign
adjective
for·eign
ˈfȯr-ən 
ˈfär-
1
: located outside a place or country and especially outside one's own country
foreign nations
2
: born in, belonging to, or characteristic of a place or country other than the one under consideration
foreign language
foreign customs
3
: related to or dealing with other nations
foreign affairs
foreign office
4
: not normally found in an area or part
a foreign body in the eye
Medical Definition
foreign
adjective
for·eign
ˈfȯr-ən, ˈfär-
1
: occurring in an abnormal situation in the living body and often introduced from outside
a foreign body lodged in the esophagus
2
: not recognized by the immune system as part of the self
foreign proteins
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