corral

1 of 2

noun

cor·​ral kə-ˈral How to pronounce corral (audio)
-ˈrel
1
: a pen or enclosure for confining or capturing livestock
herded the cattle into the corral
2
: an enclosure made with wagons for defense of an encampment

corral

2 of 2

verb

corralled; corralling

transitive verb

1
: to enclose in a corral (see corral entry 1 sense 1)
corralled the horses
2
: to arrange (wagons) so as to form a corral (see corral entry 1 sense 2)
3
: collect, gather
corralling votes for the upcoming election

Examples of corral in a Sentence

Noun the horses live in our corral, along with a cow Verb corralled everyone in the conference room for a speech by the CEO corralled a scattering of stray pens and quickly stuffed them in the drawer to tidy the desk
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
In one of many hidden rooms inside the labyrinth of Life and Trust, the floor turned into the soft earth of a corral, the walls were painted with a view of red-rock mesas, and a performer in a cowboy getup was circling another man who happened to be wearing a horse mask. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 1 Aug. 2024 Race organizers recommend participants arrive in their corrals approximately 20 minutes before the close of the corral. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2024
Verb
Trays and cloches work great to corral the small pieces into tidier groupings, while greens and snowy cotton can create soft bases. Sandra S. Soria, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2024 Smaller items, such as seed packets, gloves, and hand tools, should be corralled into clear bins. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for corral 

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Spanish, from Vulgar Latin *currale enclosure for vehicles, from Latin currus cart, from currere to run — more at car

First Known Use

Noun

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of corral was in 1582

Dictionary Entries Near corral

Cite this Entry

“Corral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corral. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

corral

1 of 2 noun
cor·​ral kə-ˈral How to pronounce corral (audio)
1
: a pen for keeping or capturing livestock
2
: an enclosure made with wagons for defense of a camp

corral

2 of 2 verb
corralled; corralling
1
: to keep in or as if in a corral
2
3
: to arrange wagons so as to form a corral

More from Merriam-Webster on corral

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!