rit·u·al
ˈri-chə-wəl 
-chəl;
ˈrich-wəl
1
: of or relating to rites or a ritual : ceremonial
a ritual dance
2
: according to religious law
ritual purity
3
: done in accordance with social custom or normal protocol
ritual handshakes
ritual background checks
ritually
adverb
1
: the established form for a ceremony
specifically
: the order of words prescribed for a religious ceremony
2
a
: ritual observance
specifically
: a system of rites
b
: a ceremonial act or action
c
: an act or series of acts regularly repeated in a set precise manner
Synonyms
Examples of ritual in a Sentence
Noun
The priest will perform the ritual.
He was buried simply, without ceremony or ritual.
the daily ritual of preparing breakfast
His day-to-day life is based on ritual.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jamie Lang, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Inside the house, researchers discovered a small altar containing several ritual objects, including a ceramic container for burning incense, which still held material from its last use two millennia ago.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024
Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
When her brother died, Yamuna pleaded with the god of death not to take him away until the vermillion on his forehead had faded and the flower garlands had wilted, performing an elaborate ritual to extend her last moments with her sibling.
—Peter Guo, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ritual 
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
Its narrative turns on an investigation into the ritual murder of a young girl that causes a mass psychosis in a nearby small town that experienced a similar trauma six years earlier.
—Jamie Lang, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Inside the house, researchers discovered a small altar containing several ritual objects, including a ceramic container for burning incense, which still held material from its last use two millennia ago.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024
Noun
Such playoff pushes are an annual ritual under coach Kyle Shanahan tracing to the 2019 season, which opened … here, when defensive back Nick Bosa made his NFL debut on a tender ankle and the 49ers launched an 8-0 start.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
When her brother died, Yamuna pleaded with the god of death not to take him away until the vermillion on his forehead had faded and the flower garlands had wilted, performing an elaborate ritual to extend her last moments with her sibling.
—Peter Guo, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ritual
Dictionary Entries Near ritual
Cite this Entry
“Ritual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ritual. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ritual
1 of 2 adjective
rit·u·al
ˈrich(ə-)wəl
ˈrich-əl
1
: of or relating to rites or a ritual
a ritual dance
2
: according to religious law or social custom
ritually
adverb
-ē
ritual
2 of 2 noun1
: an established form for a ceremony
2
a
: a system of rites
b
: a ceremonial act or action
c
: a formal and customarily repeated act or series of acts
Medical Definition
ritual
noun
rit·u·al
ˈrich-(ə-)wəl
: any act or practice regularly repeated in a set precise manner for relief of anxiety
obsessive-compulsive rituals
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share