1
a
: having the ancestry of a monarch : belonging to royalty
the royal family
b
: of, relating to, or subject to the crown
the royal estates
c
: being in the crown's service
Royal Air Force
2
a
: suitable for royalty : magnificent
received a royal welcome
b
: requiring no exertion : easy
There is no royal road to logic …—
Justus Buchler
Justus Buchler3
a
: of superior size, magnitude, or quality
… a patronage of royal dimensions.—J. H. Plumb
—often used as an intensiveJ. H. Plumba royal pain
b
: established or chartered by the crown
4
: of, relating to, or being a part (such as a mast, sail, or yard) next above the topgallant
1
: a person of royal blood
2
: a small sail on the royal mast immediately above the topgallant sail
3
: a stag of 8 years or more having antlers with at least 12 points
Examples of royal in a Sentence
Adjective
They received a royal welcome as they stepped off the plane.
the school superintendent received a royal welcome
Noun
magazine stories about the private lives of royals
Recent Examples on the Web
Helen Regan, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
The palace was the principal royal residence of France from 1682 until the start of the French Revolution in 1789.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2026
The royal, who was seen repeatedly blinking before jolting awake, was attending the annual ANZAC Day service at London's Westminster Abbey, which is held to commemorate Commonwealth soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada who served and died in wars and peacekeeping operations.
—Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for royal
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.
Adjective
Harry has previously shared his desire to reconcile with his family, and the meeting triggered speculation the royal family’s rift might be abating.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
The palace was the principal royal residence of France from 1682 until the start of the French Revolution in 1789.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Noun
Fadler also gently advised using discretion when photographing the royals from afar.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2026
The royal, who was seen repeatedly blinking before jolting awake, was attending the annual ANZAC Day service at London's Westminster Abbey, which is held to commemorate Commonwealth soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada who served and died in wars and peacekeeping operations.
—Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for royal
Cite this Entry
“Royal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/royal. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
