: the part of a garment that is turned back
specifically
: the fold of the front of a coat that is usually a continuation of the collar
Examples of lapel in a Sentence
He wore a carnation in his lapel.
Recent Examples on the Web
The black suit featured a slouchy blazer, with sinuous lapels and angled buttons.
—
Julia Teti, Footwear News, 9 Jan. 2026
The trench features a removable hood with a classic lapel overcoat style.
—Annita Katee, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2026
Ostapchuk wore a cowl halter-neck gown with an open back, while Kraus wore a dark green tuxedo jacket with black lapels, a black bow tie and black pants.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Perhaps most notably, lapels may also be played with, the standard options being the sharp and more formal peaked lapel, or the slightly louche and rakish shawl.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lapel
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Julia Teti, Footwear News, 9 Jan. 2026
The trench features a removable hood with a classic lapel overcoat style.
—Annita Katee, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2026
Ostapchuk wore a cowl halter-neck gown with an open back, while Kraus wore a dark green tuxedo jacket with black lapels, a black bow tie and black pants.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Perhaps most notably, lapels may also be played with, the standard options being the sharp and more formal peaked lapel, or the slightly louche and rakish shawl.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lapel
Cite this Entry
“Lapel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lapel. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lapel
noun
la·pel
lə-ˈpel 
: the fold of the front of a coat that is usually a part of the collar
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