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
Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
Video of the stunt at the Tower of London, once a royal palace also known as the prison where Anne Boleyn, Thomas More and others were executed, showed two protesters attacking the case as other visitors stepped back in shock.
—CBS News, 6 Dec. 2025
Ana Serrano, Glamour, 7 Dec. 2025
From the Teck Crescent Tiara to the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara, scroll to see eight of the most impressive tiaras the British royals have worn.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025
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
The photograph was snapped by royal photographer Chris Jackson in the sunny grounds of Villa Wolkonsky – the British ambassador’s official residence in Rome – during the couple’s state visit in April 2025.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
Video of the stunt at the Tower of London, once a royal palace also known as the prison where Anne Boleyn, Thomas More and others were executed, showed two protesters attacking the case as other visitors stepped back in shock.
—CBS News, 6 Dec. 2025
Noun
The Princess of Wales is the fifth royal to wear the tiara, which was made for Queen Victoria in 1853.
—Ana Serrano, Glamour, 7 Dec. 2025
From the Teck Crescent Tiara to the Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara, scroll to see eight of the most impressive tiaras the British royals have worn.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for royal
Cite this Entry
“Royal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/royal. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share