From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtopicaltop‧ic‧al /ˈtɒpɪkəl $ ˈtɑː-/ AWL adjective NOWa subject that is topical is interesting because it is important at the present timetopical subject/issue/theme etc a new TV comedy dealing with topical issues topical jokes (=jokes about topical subjects) —topically /-kli/ adverb —topicality /ˌtɒpɪˈkæləti $ ˌtɑː-/ noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
topical• The humour was topical and apt.• a topical anesthetic• It is possible, too, to capitalise on topical events, like holidays, Christmas etc.• In this chapter, we have opted for a topical format.• A useful activity is to pull together the governors of several neighbouring schools for training and updating on topical issues.• The editor thinks that if an article isn't topical it isn't worth publishing.• It's an old story but it has a topical message.• Firstly, do not prescribe antibiotics if a non-antibiotic topical preparation will suffice.• He is known for recording topical songs about social issues.• In the 1970s, he recorded topical songs about Watergate and the Vietnam War.• The group on active treatment used 60% less topical steroid.• Against this background, the first book devoted exclusively to this exciting and topical subject should be a significant landmark.topical subject/issue/theme etc• A useful activity is to pull together the governors of several neighbouring schools for training and updating on topical issues.• Open Space To be considered for this slot, pieces should be 1,000 words in length and address a topical issue.• Sometimes the salience of certain power bases may shift with topical issues.• Written in a straight-forward way, this guide is the ideal introduction to a highly topical subject.• Injuries and fitness have been topical issues for some time now.• This explores historical discoveries and topical issues likely to appeal to pupils.• Against this background, the first book devoted exclusively to this exciting and topical subject should be a significant landmark. 