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
The country also faces religiously motivated attacks and other violent conflicts stemming from communal and ethnic tensions, as well as disputes between farmers and herders over limited access to land and water resources.
—
Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 23 Nov. 2025
That protests are being held outside synagogues, college Hillel chapters, and Jewish community centers, effectively barring Jews from their own communal spaces?
—Scott Feuless, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
In comments on the post, users shared their own feelings of social disconnection and agreed that communal care has been increasingly lost in American culture.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
The communal tables are now gone, but Lazy Bear’s two Michelin stars have held firm since they were first awarded in 2016.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for communal
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Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 23 Nov. 2025
That protests are being held outside synagogues, college Hillel chapters, and Jewish community centers, effectively barring Jews from their own communal spaces?
—Scott Feuless, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
In comments on the post, users shared their own feelings of social disconnection and agreed that communal care has been increasingly lost in American culture.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
The communal tables are now gone, but Lazy Bear’s two Michelin stars have held firm since they were first awarded in 2016.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 19 Nov. 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 28 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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