ceremonial

1 of 2

adjective

cer·​e·​mo·​ni·​al ˌser-ə-ˈmō-nē-əl How to pronounce ceremonial (audio)
ˌse-rə-
1
: marked by, involved in, or belonging to ceremony : stressing careful attention to form and detail
ceremonial rites
2
: having no real power or influence
his new position is largely ceremonial
ceremonialism noun
ceremonialist noun
ceremonially adverb

ceremonial

2 of 2

noun

: a ceremonial act, action, or system
Choose the Right Synonym for ceremonial

ceremonial, ceremonious, formal, conventional mean marked by attention to or adhering strictly to prescribed forms.

ceremonial and ceremonious both imply strict attention to what is prescribed by custom or by ritual, but ceremonial applies to things that are associated with ceremonies

a ceremonial offering

, ceremonious to persons given to ceremony or to acts attended by ceremony.

made his ceremonious entrance

formal applies both to things prescribed by and to persons obedient to custom and may suggest stiff, restrained, or old-fashioned behavior.

a formal report
the headmaster's formal manner

conventional implies accord with general custom and usage

conventional courtesy

and may suggest a stodgy lack of originality or independence.

conventional fiction

Examples of ceremonial in a Sentence

Adjective The tribe has different ceremonial masks for each ceremony. His new position is largely ceremonial because all the decisions are actually made by a committee. Noun a number of religious ceremonials the funeral of a pope is usually marked by rich pageantry and elaborate ceremonials
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
That raised eyebrows in a country where the president — though hailing from the center-right — serves as the ceremonial head of state. Catarina Fernandes Martins, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 Herzog, before becoming president, which is a largely ceremonial role, used to head Israel’s Labor party, which historically has been an advocate for making peace with Palestinians. Reuters, CNN, 10 Mar. 2024 China's national congress serves mainly a ceremonial role, endorsing policies set by President Xi Jinping and other top leaders of the Communist Party. Elaine Kurtenbach, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024 The ceremonial start was held Saturday in Anchorage, with the competitive start beginning Sunday. CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024 There’s something ceremonial about a trip to Shell Shock’d Tacos. Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 Five thousand years ago, in what’s now southern Spain, a special set of women donned their ceremonial gowns, bedecked with tens of thousands of beads crafted from shell, ivory and amber. Bridget Alex, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 When one of the most stinging defeats of his short tenure arrived on Tuesday, Speaker Mike Johnson had put himself front and center in the House chamber, standing in front of the speaker’s ceremonial chair on the upper tier of the rostrum to gavel it down. Catie Edmondson, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2024 Kentucky Lottery President and CEO Mary Harville greeted the group with ceremonial checks, handing each winner their prize − $24,000 after taxes. The Enquirer, 1 Feb. 2024
Noun
As her funeral is shown on The Crown season 6, here’s everything to know about the royal ceremonial. Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023 Nothing ceremonial marked the reopening, but a parking lot memorial stood as a reminder of the recent tragedy. Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2023 He’s aided in this regard by DP Khalid Mohtaseb’s artfully dank lensing in shades of green and gold and gunge, and the shrieking ceremonials of Jed Kurzel’s suitably unrestrained score. Guy Lodge, Variety, 7 Apr. 2023 Why Frank Jackson had held that ceremonial? Laura Johnston, cleveland, 25 Aug. 2022 The activism goes beyond the ceremonial. Phil Taylor, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Nov. 2020 Matchaful's Kiwami single cultivar ceremonial matcha is perfect for those who want the best possible flavor and quality — as well as an energizing drink. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2022 There are three main types of matcha tea ceremonial, culinary, and matcha latte. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Mar. 2022 The British empire soon crumbled, but Elizabeth managed to maintain a regal — if ceremonial — position as the head of the Commonwealth, the 54 nations of mostly previous British colonies. Andrew Meldrum, ajc, 9 Sep. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ceremonial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1679, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ceremonial was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ceremonial

Cite this Entry

“Ceremonial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceremonial. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ceremonial

1 of 2 adjective
cer·​e·​mo·​ni·​al ˌser-ə-ˈmō-nē-əl How to pronounce ceremonial (audio)
: of, relating to, or forming a ceremony
ceremonialism noun
ceremonialist noun
ceremonially adverb
ceremonialness noun

ceremonial

2 of 2 noun
: a ceremonial act, action, or system

More from Merriam-Webster on ceremonial

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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