1
a
: the loud ringing of bells
the peal of wedding bells
b
: a complete set of changes (see change entry 2 sense 6) on a given number of bells
c
: a set of bells tuned to the tones of the major (see major entry 1 sense 7a) scale for change ringing
2
: a loud sound or succession of sounds
peals of laughter
peals of thunder
Examples of peal in a Sentence
Noun
the peal of wedding bells
Verb
the village bells pealed every hour in commemoration
Recent Examples on the Web
Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Within hours of arriving, what sounded like a distant peal of thunder rolled in—in this case, the rumble of a harmless, but still awe-inspiring, small-scale avalanche.
—Samantha Falewée, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Oct. 2024
Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 25 Mar. 2024
What other unique design features are a part of the new St. Charles?
Another feature of the church people can enjoy, Cattani said, are four large bells in the church's bell tower that peal throughout the day as well as for weddings and funerals.
—Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for peal
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Noun
Instead, fans turned the nasty weather into a party, cheering louder at every peal of thunder.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Within hours of arriving, what sounded like a distant peal of thunder rolled in—in this case, the rumble of a harmless, but still awe-inspiring, small-scale avalanche.
—Samantha Falewée, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Oct. 2024
Verb
Over the next couple hours, the cranes slowly pealed off from the roosting flock and headed out to feed.
—Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 25 Mar. 2024
What other unique design features are a part of the new St. Charles?
Another feature of the church people can enjoy, Cattani said, are four large bells in the church's bell tower that peal throughout the day as well as for weddings and funerals.
—Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for peal
Cite this Entry
“Peal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peal. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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