communal
adjective
com·mu·nal
kə-ˈmyü-nᵊl 
ˈkäm-yə-nᵊl
1
: of or relating to one or more communes
a communal organization
2
: of or relating to a community
3
a
: characterized by collective ownership and use of property
b
: participated in, shared, or used in common by members of a group or community
a communal kitchen
gathered for a communal meal
4
: of, relating to, or based on racial or cultural groups
communal violence
communally
adverb
Examples of communal in a Sentence
The tribe lived in communal huts.
the communal experience of riding on the train
Recent Examples on the Web
Pritam witnessed firsthand the horrors of Partition—communal riots forced her to migrate to India from Pakistan in 1947 with nothing but her two small children and a red shawl.
—
JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
That enveloping sense of coziness is one reason why Gilmore Girls continues to feel like a communal dreamscape, with scores of fans making it as much of an autumn tradition as Halloween costumes and pumpkin spice lattes.
—Mara Reinstein, Architectural Digest, 30 Oct. 2025
This communal approach to gaming also doesn’t mean corners need to be cut regarding fanfare.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2025
To reverse this deadly trajectory, California must prioritize funding for addiction and mental health treatment within a variety of communal housing settings, not just permanent housing subsidies.
—Michele Steeb, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for communal
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JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
That enveloping sense of coziness is one reason why Gilmore Girls continues to feel like a communal dreamscape, with scores of fans making it as much of an autumn tradition as Halloween costumes and pumpkin spice lattes.
—Mara Reinstein, Architectural Digest, 30 Oct. 2025
This communal approach to gaming also doesn’t mean corners need to be cut regarding fanfare.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2025
To reverse this deadly trajectory, California must prioritize funding for addiction and mental health treatment within a variety of communal housing settings, not just permanent housing subsidies.
—Michele Steeb, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for communal
Cite this Entry
“Communal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communal. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
communal
adjective
com·mu·nal
kə-ˈmyün-ᵊl
ˈkäm-yən-ᵊl
1
: of or relating to a commune or community
2
: shared or used in common by members of a group or community
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