: 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
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
Angelica Ang, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
The latter post was criticized by Ben Stiller for using footage from his 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder, which follows a group of actors who are unwittingly dropped into a Southeast Asian war zone.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Butt is an independent curator and writer who is the founder of in-tangible institute, the curatorial platform focused on Southeast Asian art.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Fitch Ratings revised its outlook on the Philippines’ credit rating to negative from stable, saying a decline in public investment and rising energy costs have created risks to the Southeast Asian nation’s economic growth.
—Claire Jiao, Bloomberg, 20 Apr. 2026
The issue is a critical one for the Southeast Asian city-state of 6 million people.
—Chris Wellisz, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
These two-story buildings—with pastel façades, ornate plasterwork, and wood shutters—once contained the businesses and residences of Chinese and Indian migrants, and are now a main attraction on any Southeast Asian itinerary.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
South Korea and China have built strong capabilities in automotive electronics and component manufacturing, while Thailand and several Southeast Asian markets have become critical hubs for vehicle assembly.
—Salil Chari, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2026
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Adjective
On April 22, Indonesia’s finance minister, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, suggested the Southeast Asian country might start imposing levies on ships transiting the Strait of Malacca, which connects the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
The latter post was criticized by Ben Stiller for using footage from his 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder, which follows a group of actors who are unwittingly dropped into a Southeast Asian war zone.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Butt is an independent curator and writer who is the founder of in-tangible institute, the curatorial platform focused on Southeast Asian art.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Fitch Ratings revised its outlook on the Philippines’ credit rating to negative from stable, saying a decline in public investment and rising energy costs have created risks to the Southeast Asian nation’s economic growth.
—Claire Jiao, Bloomberg, 20 Apr. 2026
The issue is a critical one for the Southeast Asian city-state of 6 million people.
—Chris Wellisz, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
These two-story buildings—with pastel façades, ornate plasterwork, and wood shutters—once contained the businesses and residences of Chinese and Indian migrants, and are now a main attraction on any Southeast Asian itinerary.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
South Korea and China have built strong capabilities in automotive electronics and component manufacturing, while Thailand and several Southeast Asian markets have become critical hubs for vehicle assembly.
—Salil Chari, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Southeast Asian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Southeast%20Asian. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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