topical

topical — adjective

1. Connected to subjects or events that many people are discussing or thinking abou

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

Connected to subjects or events that many people are discussing or thinking about right now, especially in the news or on social media.

Example

Climate change remains a highly topical issue in many countries around the world.

collocation: topical issue / topical subject

The comedian's jokes about local politics were surprisingly topical for the audience that night.

predicative use: be + topical

Common collocations
  • topical issue
  • topical subject
  • topical debate
  • topical discussion
  • topical news
  • topical theme
  • highly topical
  • especially topical
  • remain topical
  • become topical
Synonyms
  • current

    the most direct synonym; wider in meaning and more neutral in tone

  • timely

    adds a sense of being especially appropriate for the moment

  • relevant

    broader — can refer to personal relevance, not just current events

  • up-to-date

    focuses on information that is the latest available

Antonyms
  • outdated

    no longer in line with current information or discussion

  • passé

    slightly informal; suggests something is no longer fashionable

Grammar Patterns

topical + noun

be + topical

Usage Note

Frequently used both before a noun (a topical issue) and after be (the issue is topical). The meaning is about timeliness and public attention, not about the structure or organisation of topics — do not use it to mean 'arranged by topic.'

Common Mistakes

The report is topical to climate change' (meaning it is about climate change).
The report covers the topic of climate change.
'topical' in this sense means 'of current interest,' not 'dealing with a particular subject.'

2. Made to be applied directly to the skin or a specific outer area of the body, in

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

Made to be applied directly to the skin or a specific outer area of the body, instead of being swallowed or injected.

Example

The doctor prescribed a topical cream to treat the baby's nappy rash.

collocation: topical cream / topical ointment

Some pain relievers work better as a topical gel rather than as a pill.

contrast: topical vs oral

Common collocations
  • topical cream
  • topical ointment
  • topical gel
  • topical medication
  • topical treatment
  • topical application
  • topical steroid
  • topical antibiotic
  • topical anesthetic
  • topical antifungal
Synonyms
  • local

    broader — can refer to any localised treatment, including injections into a specific area

  • external

    used on the outside of the body; a wider medical term that includes but is not limited to skin application

Antonyms
  • oral

    taken by mouth and absorbed through the digestive system

  • systemic

    affecting the whole body rather than just one area

  • injectable

    delivered by needle into the body

Grammar Patterns

topical + noun (medication, cream, ointment, etc.)

Usage Note

Almost always used before a noun (topical cream, topical treatment). When a drug is described as topical, it means it acts on the skin surface — contrast this with oral (taken by mouth) and injectable (injected into the body).

Common Mistakes

The doctor gave me a topical injection.
The doctor gave me a topical cream to apply on my skin.
A topical treatment is applied to the outer surface; injections are not topical.

Word family

  • topic
    nounA2
  • topically
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a connection to the present moment, but they differ in what they emphasise. Current is the most neutral term — it simply means 'happening or existing now' (the current economic situation). Timely adds a positive judgement: something comes at exactly the right moment (a timely warning about the storm). Relevant is broader — it means 'connected to what matters,' which may or may not be about time (your experience is relevant to this job). Up-to-date focuses on the latest available information (an up-to-date guide to restaurants). Topical specifically ties the subject to ongoing public discussion: a news story may be current but not topical if nobody is talking about it. In everyday use, choose current for general present-time reference, topical when highlighting public conversation, and timely when praising good timing.

current ↗timely ↗relevant ↗up-to-date ↗

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Topical comes from the Greek word topos, meaning 'place' or 'commonplace.' The suffix -ic plus -al gave it the sense 'relating to a place' — hence the medical meaning 'applied to a particular spot on the body.' The other meaning, 'relating to current topics,' developed in the 1800s from the noun topic (a subject for discussion or writing), which itself traces back through Latin and French to the same Greek root topos (the 'commonplaces' of rhetoric). So both senses of topical ultimately share one Greek ancestor, though they arrived in English along separate paths.