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
This belief, that storytelling is a communal act, inspired me.
—
Sonya Rehman, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
The idea was developed based on communal or cooperative communities in Israel and was implemented to help Black sharecroppers in Southwest Georgia who were being forced off their land by white farmers because of their participation in the Civil Rights Movement.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2025
Share a selection of mezze for a communal dining experience.
Café Ansari
Blending Georgian and international cuisine, Café Ansari offers a modern dining space with minimalist design.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2025
Among many Indigenous tribes in the Americas, grief is a communal ceremony—marked by crying, singing, storytelling, and symbols of transformation like cutting hair.
—Devi Brown, Time, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for communal
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.
Sonya Rehman, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
The idea was developed based on communal or cooperative communities in Israel and was implemented to help Black sharecroppers in Southwest Georgia who were being forced off their land by white farmers because of their participation in the Civil Rights Movement.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2025
Share a selection of mezze for a communal dining experience.
Café Ansari
Blending Georgian and international cuisine, Café Ansari offers a modern dining space with minimalist design.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2025
Among many Indigenous tribes in the Americas, grief is a communal ceremony—marked by crying, singing, storytelling, and symbols of transformation like cutting hair.
—Devi Brown, Time, 24 Apr. 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 3 May. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share