Meaning & use
topical
Last updated
Relating to current events or matters of present interest.
See it in a sentence
The comedian's set was full of topical jokes about the week's news.
The magazine focuses on topical issues in technology and politics.
A note on using this word
In medicine, 'topical' has a different, specific meaning: applied directly to a part of the body, such as a topical cream, rather than taken internally.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. adjective
Applied directly to a particular part of the body, especially the skin.
The doctor prescribed a topical ointment for the rash.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “topical”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.