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
The East Room also typically hosts a president’s press conference, either on his own or alongside a foreign leader.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
However, Corbell does not believe the unidentified objects are nefarious or operated by a foreign adversary.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2025
At the end of March, the Trump administration’s effort to deport foreign students involved in anti-Israel disruptions on campus received an unexpected endorsement.
—Jimmy Quinn, National Review, 17 Apr. 2025
The rate hike comes in the face of significant foreign currency depletion, as the Turkish central bank spent as much as $25 billion in three days following the arrest of Imamoglu and ensuing protests on March 19 to defend the lira, which briefly ropped to a record low of more 40 to the U.S. dollar.
—Natasha Turak, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreign
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Ella Lee, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
However, Corbell does not believe the unidentified objects are nefarious or operated by a foreign adversary.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2025
At the end of March, the Trump administration’s effort to deport foreign students involved in anti-Israel disruptions on campus received an unexpected endorsement.
—Jimmy Quinn, National Review, 17 Apr. 2025
The rate hike comes in the face of significant foreign currency depletion, as the Turkish central bank spent as much as $25 billion in three days following the arrest of Imamoglu and ensuing protests on March 19 to defend the lira, which briefly ropped to a record low of more 40 to the U.S. dollar.
—Natasha Turak, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreign
Cite this Entry
“Foreign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreign. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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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