peal

American  

[peel] / pil /

noun

• peals
  plural

1. a loud, prolonged ringing of bells.

2. a set of bells tuned to one another.

3. a series of changes rung on a set of bells.

4. any loud, sustained sound or series of sounds, as of cannon, thunder, applause, or laughter.

   Synonyms:

   clangor, resounding, reverberation

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verb (used with object)

• peals,
  present (3rd person singular)
• pealed,
  past participle,  past
• pealing
  present participle

1. to sound loudly and sonorously.

   to peal the bells of a tower.

2. Obsolete. to assail with loud sounds.

verb (used without object)

• peals,
  present (3rd person singular)
• pealed,
  past participle,  past
• pealing
  present participle

1. to sound forth in a peal; resound.

peal ¹ British  

/ piːl /

noun

1. a loud prolonged usually reverberating sound, as of bells, thunder, or laughter

2. Leisure:Bell-ringing a series of changes rung in accordance with specific rules, consisting of not fewer than 5000 permutations in a ring of eight bells

3. (not in technical usage) the set of bells in a belfry

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verb

1. (intr) to sound with a peal or peals

2. (tr) to give forth loudly and sonorously

3. (tr) to ring (bells) in peals

peal ² British  

/ piːl /

noun

1. a dialect name for a grilse or a young sea trout

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interpeal
  verb (used with object)
• unpealed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• peals
  plural

Participles

• pealing
  present
• pealed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• peal
  simple
• peals
  simple
• have pealed
  perfect
• has pealed
  perfect
• am pealing
  progressive
• are pealing
  progressive
• is pealing
  progressive
• have been pealing
  perfect progressive
• has been pealing
  perfect progressive

Past

• pealed
  simple
• had pealed
  perfect
• was pealing
  progressive
• were pealing
  progressive
• had been pealing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will peal
  simple
• will have pealed
  perfect
• will be pealing
  progressive
• will have been pealing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of peal

1350–1400; Middle English pele, akin to peal to beat, strike (now dial.)

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Explanation

A peal is a loud or deep sound that is usually repeated. So, you may hear a peal of laughter or a peal of thunder, but you wouldn't refer to a solitary scream as a peal. You'll often notice the regular, repeated peal of church bells — in fact, they sometimes peal on the hour. In the fourteenth century, a peal referred specifically to church bells, in fact. The word is a shortened version of appeal, from the idea that the bells "summon" or "call " worshippers to the church. In contemporary times, peal is more often used to describe more commonly repeated sounds — like barking, laughter or thunder.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

peal peals pealed pealing

And when the stormy morning after arrives, each peal of thunder sends Julia into a paroxysm of nerves that flings her around like a handkerchief caught in a stiff breeze.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026

For, in case you missed it, a peal of what may or may not have been the archangel Gabriel’s horn cut through the noise a few days ago signaling, ominous, that it’s time.

From Salon ● Nov. 4, 2023

The bells of Westminster Abbey will peal at 1 p.m.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 8, 2023

More than 200 spectators gathered to watch the Coronation on a big screen in Jubilee Square in Brighton, while at Canterbury Cathedral, there was a prom, a live screening and a celebratory bell peal.

From BBC ● May 7, 2023

They could hear voices through the window, coming from the side- walk below—talking, and a high peal of laughter.

From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead

One broadcaster from Norway, amid peals of laughter, described the chief ice technician as "scooting" down the sheet.

From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2026

Far from the subtlety required before a camera, her powerful voice and exaggerated gestures fill the space -- and draw peals of laughter.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2025

She applauded a third for his decision to tuck in his shirt onstage, which created peals of laughter.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 12, 2023

Fortunately the scripts roll booming peals in every hour made available for review, all of which is best experienced fresh and with as little exposition as possible.

From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2023

All solemnity, therefore, was silent, the peals muffled; and bodies went unheralded to their final rest; and we shoveled dirt atop the dead and watched their wooden vessels sink beneath the earth without a cry.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Sirens blared, horns honked, and church bells pealed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

Westminster Abbey's bells then pealed 80 times to remember the years since the first VE Day.

From BBC ● May 8, 2025

The church bells pealed over the winding streets below.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 21, 2021

Another night, Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” pealed out.

From New York Times ● Jun. 14, 2020

The bell pealed again, and it was time for first period.

From "Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel" by Harlan Coben

Ms. Oropesa’s limpid, flexible soprano brought a heart-tugging vulnerability to Elvira, and her pealing coloratura was both accurate and expressive.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026

It’s no surprise that his most iconic stint in consumerism, the “Tickle Me Elmo” doll, capitalized on his pealing giggle.

From Salon ● Feb. 3, 2024

The handover of the cathedral took many by surprise - an OCU priest, Vasyl Rudnytskyi, looked stunned as he walked towards the building’s gates amid the deafening pealing of bells.

From Reuters ● Jan. 7, 2023

Bach’s Organ Sonata No. 4, pealing yet contained, and superb.

From New York Times ● Feb. 23, 2022

But their pealing had nothing to do with the disaster that had taken place the day before.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

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