Southeast Asian

1 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Southeast Asia (a region of indefinite boundaries usually thought of as including Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam and sometimes Singapore, Indonesia, and/or the Philippines) or its people

Southeast Asian

2 of 2

noun

plural Southeast Asians
1
: a native or inhabitant of Southeast Asia
2
: a person of Southeast Asian descent

Examples of Southeast Asian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
García, meanwhile, sees parallels between the moment Southeast Asian animation now finds itself in and the longer arc of how anime reshaped global tastes. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 June 2026 But many of the finest pieces on display here in the Southeast Asian art wing… are stolen. Anderson Cooper, CBS News, 28 June 2026 In other key prizes, Louis Clichy’s Iron Boy (Le Corset), which was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for North and Latin America, India and Southeast Asian TV out of Cannes, won the Jury Award. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 June 2026 The work interweaves South and Southeast Asian mythologies and histories with Western cultural touchstones—from canonical artists to sacred texts—often with a deliberate sense of unease. Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 23 June 2026 Among Southeast Asian nations, the bank expects Singapore and the Philippines to be directly exposed to shocks in global food prices, due to their position as net food importers. Justina Lee, CNBC, 22 June 2026 The simple homemade peanut butter sauce is a must for dipping this popular Southeast Asian appetizer. Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2026 Pandan waffles, matcha flan and durian smoothies, among other Southeast Asian treats, round out the menu. Christopher Hassiotis, AJC.com, 18 June 2026 Viu and iQIYI International unveiled a Southeast Asian bundle at APOS this week, and Disney+ teamed up with CJ ENM’s Tving in Japan late last year. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1898, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1943, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Southeast Asian was in 1898

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Southeast Asian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Southeast%20Asian. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster