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

Etymology

Origin of peal

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

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

Smith’s $5,000 donation proved a savvy investment: He owns two brownstones in Brooklyn today, Lee notes, with a peal of laughter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2025

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

A peal of thunder rumbled in the distance.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

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

Hours were marked by peals of screams following every uncovered worm wriggling in the corn silks, and each of us proudly showing off our inky fingertips from pressing out purple hull peas from their pods.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 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

Frank said to an assembled group in Hemet, who erupted in peals of laughter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2023

Every once in a while, when the old people looked up from their checkers game, they thought they could hear faint peals of laughter.

From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin

Church bells pealed and cannons thundered when Americans learned that the Continental Congress had adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Some wounds never heal and now the plaster has been pealed back, DUP divisions are back on show.

From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2022

The church bells pealed over the winding streets below.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 21, 2021

At the end of his address, bells pealed and echoed in an empty St. Peter’s Square.

From New York Times ● Dec. 25, 2020

Then whoops and shouts pealed from every quarter, and howls and even a trombone blasting.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

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

But in both songs, the music swells behind him, with churchy organ and robust major chords, pealing guitar and gospelly choir harmonies.

From New York Times ● Feb. 28, 2023

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

I had spent several hours resting fitfully in Michael Reese Hospital’s lobby, stirred from uncertain dreams by the pealing ambulance bells and the groans of patients.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros