: 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
Meanwhile, Queen Camilla added some sparkle to her bright red Fiona Clare skirt suit and matching Phillip Treacy hat, pinning a brooch that’s over 87 years old to her lapel.
—
Lara Walsh, InStyle, 9 Mar. 2026
In a Sunday social media video, the future queen appears beside the heir to the throne, both wearing a traditional daffodil on their lapels.
—Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 3 Mar. 2026
Tuxedoed servers wear playing-card pins on their lapels; a slot machine in the entryway shaped like a life-size Doc Holliday gazes at diners with uncanny intensity.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
The actress wore a wool gray suit with a double-breasted blazer with sinuous lapels and wide-leg trousers.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lapel
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Lara Walsh, InStyle, 9 Mar. 2026
In a Sunday social media video, the future queen appears beside the heir to the throne, both wearing a traditional daffodil on their lapels.
—Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 3 Mar. 2026
Tuxedoed servers wear playing-card pins on their lapels; a slot machine in the entryway shaped like a life-size Doc Holliday gazes at diners with uncanny intensity.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
The actress wore a wool gray suit with a double-breasted blazer with sinuous lapels and wide-leg trousers.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lapel
Cite this Entry
“Lapel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lapel. Accessed 13 Mar. 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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