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Regale has been an English verb since the early half of the 1600s, having been adapted from the French word régaler. That word traces back to the Middle French verb galer, which means “to have a good time.” (Gala, meaning “a festive celebration,” is from the same source.) Today, regale still applies when someone is entertaining or amusing another, especially by sharing stories. Regale also sometimes functions as a noun meaning “a sumptuous feast.” An early use of the noun appears in the preface to a 1732 dramatic poem by George Granville: “An English stomach … will rise hungry from a regale of nothing but sweet-meats.”
Examples of regale in a Sentence
Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 5 May 2025
In 2019, Tom Hanks regaled Jimmy Kimmel Live with the story of how he was twice robbed as a 14-year-old vendor at Oakland A’s baseball games.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2025
The president took them through the residence, showing off the Lincoln Bedroom and the Yellow Oval Room while regaling the group with historical facts, and finished the jaunt in the Oval Office.
—Reid J. Epstein, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
There will also be new characters for guests to greet and learn their lore — an eccentric monster hunter and a talented musician who regales guests with songs and tales.
—Samantha Neely, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regale
Cite this Entry
“Regale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regale. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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