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 of ritual
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
Dana Taylor, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
For many people, dessert is a nightly ritual—something sweet after dinner to signal the day is winding down.
—Morgan Pearson, Verywell Health, 11 Feb. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
In one, second-generation immigrant Gloria (Katy Correa) returns to her father’s home village in rural Guinea-Bissau for a traditional memorial ritual to mark the old man’s recent passing, and to introduce her twentysomething daughter Nour (D’Johé Kouadio) to her ancestral motherland.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ritual
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Adjective
The third was as a spiritual offering, and this is significant because people would use cacao in weddings, in baptisms, in other ritual ways.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
For many people, dessert is a nightly ritual—something sweet after dinner to signal the day is winding down.
—Morgan Pearson, Verywell Health, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
The Spa’s Herb Garden taps the island’s organic bounty, growing plants used in treatments, rituals, and teas.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
In one, second-generation immigrant Gloria (Katy Correa) returns to her father’s home village in rural Guinea-Bissau for a traditional memorial ritual to mark the old man’s recent passing, and to introduce her twentysomething daughter Nour (D’Johé Kouadio) to her ancestral motherland.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ritual
Cite this Entry
“Ritual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ritual. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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
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