transnational: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, academic, business, journalistic.
Quick answer
What does “transnational” mean?
Existing or operating across national boundaries, involving multiple nations.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Existing or operating across national boundaries, involving multiple nations.
Relating to organizations, corporations, activities, or ideologies that transcend or ignore national borders, often implying a global or interconnected scale of operation or identity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Slightly more frequent in British academic/policy discourse on globalisation.
Connotations
In both varieties, can have neutral (business), positive (cooperation), or negative (crime, unaccountable power) connotations depending on context.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in formal contexts in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “transnational” in a Sentence
[Adj] + transnational + [Noun][Verb] + transnational + [Noun] (e.g., establish, regulate, combat)[Prep] + transnational + [Noun] (e.g., of transnational importance)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “transnational” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The transnational nature of the climate crisis requires unified action.
- They are part of a vast transnational family spread across three continents.
American English
- The corporation's transnational supply chain was incredibly complex.
- Transnational gangs exploit differences in national laws.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to companies operating integrated systems in multiple countries, e.g., 'The firm adopted a transnational strategy, blending global scale with local responsiveness.'
Academic
Used in sociology, politics, international relations to describe phenomena beyond the nation-state, e.g., 'Transnational social movements challenge state-centric models of politics.'
Everyday
Less common; might appear in news about crime or migration, e.g., 'Authorities are investigating the transnational trafficking ring.'
Technical
In law: 'transnational legal order'; in environmental studies: 'transnational pollution'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “transnational”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “transnational”
- Using it as a direct synonym for 'international' in all contexts (it's more specific).
- Misspelling as 'trans-national' (hyphen is generally obsolete).
- Confusing with 'multinational', which often implies separate entities in different nations, whereas 'transnational' suggests a more integrated entity.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'International' refers to relations or interactions between nations. 'Multinational' describes entities (like companies) with operations in several nations, often with decentralised management. 'Transnational' emphasises operations across and beyond national borders, often as a single integrated entity with a global strategy.
No. While commonly used for corporations (TNCs), it also applies to NGOs, social movements, criminal networks, migration patterns, families, and cultural phenomena that cross national borders.
Yes, depending on context. In phrases like 'transnational crime' or 'transnational exploitation', it is negative. In others like 'transnational cooperation' or 'transnetwork', it is positive or neutral.
Yes, 'transnationality' is used in academic contexts to refer to the quality or state of being transnational. The plural 'transnationals' can refer to transnational corporations or people.
Existing or operating across national boundaries, involving multiple nations.
Transnational is usually formal, academic, business, journalistic. in register.
Transnational: in British English it is pronounced /trænzˈnæʃ(ə)n(ə)l/, and in American English it is pronounced /trænzˈnæʃ(ə)n(ə)l/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'TRANS' (across) + 'NATIONAL' (countries). It's like a train (trans-) going across national borders.
Conceptual Metaphor
NETWORK (a web of connections spanning the globe), FLOW (of people, capital, ideas across borders).
Practice
Quiz
Which term best describes a company that operates as a single, integrated entity across multiple countries, rather than as a collection of separate national subsidiaries?