arrival

noun

ar·​riv·​al ə-ˈrī-vəl How to pronounce arrival (audio)
Synonyms of arrivalnext
1
: the act of arriving
2
: the attainment of an end or state
3
: one that has recently arrived
new arrivals

Examples of arrival in a Sentence

They were awaiting the arrival of guests. When is the mail scheduled for arrival? They track the number of airport arrivals and departures. They were late arrivals at the party. They are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their wedding day. the changes that occur with the arrival of spring the arrival of new technology
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.
Following their arrival, word spread among law enforcement at Kansas City Stadium (aka Arrowhead) that the King and Queen were en route — and the path to the VVIP (yes, very very) entrance was cleared by FBI officials, who kept fans away from the area. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 21 June 2026 Miniso aims to bring the element of surprise to each visit, according to its website, combining new arrivals with seasonal good and exclusive collaborations. Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 21 June 2026 The founding story Parsis tell about their arrival in India dates back centuries. Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 21 June 2026 But on Naval Base Coronado in San Diego this weekend, NASCAR’s arrival wasn’t simply another destination event or another experiment in taking racing somewhere unusual. Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for arrival

Word History

Etymology

Middle English arivaile, arrival "act of arriving, landing, disembarkation," borrowed from Anglo-French arrivayle, arivail, from ariver, arriver "to arrive entry 1" + -ayle, -ail, in part going back to Latin -ālis -al entry 2, in part a collective suffix going back to Latin -ālia, from neuter plural of -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Arrival.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arrival. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

arrival

noun
ar·​riv·​al ə-ˈrī-vəl How to pronounce arrival (audio)
1
: the act of arriving
await the arrival of guests
2
: a person or thing that has arrived
late arrivals at a concert

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