regale
Americanverb (used with object)
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regales,
present (3rd person singular)
-
regaled,
past participle, past
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regaling
present participle
-
to entertain lavishly or agreeably; delight.
-
to entertain with choice food or drink.
verb (used without object)
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regales,
present (3rd person singular)
-
regaled,
past participle, past
-
regaling
present participle
noun
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Rare. a sumptuous feast.
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Archaic. a choice article of food or drink.
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Archaic. refreshment.
verb
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to give delight or amusement to
he regaled them with stories of his youth
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to provide with choice or abundant food or drink
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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regalesimple
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regalessimple
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have regaledperfect
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has regaledperfect
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am regalingprogressive
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are regalingprogressive
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is regalingprogressive
-
have been regalingperfect progressive
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has been regalingperfect progressive
Past
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regaledsimple
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had regaledperfect
-
was regalingprogressive
-
were regalingprogressive
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had been regalingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of regale
First recorded in 1650–60; from French régaler, derivative of régal(e), Old French rigale, derivative of gale “festivity” (with prefix of rigoler “to amuse oneself”), derivative of galer “to make merry”; see gallant
Explanation
You may have heard it said that the fastest way to a person’s heart is through his stomach. So, if you need to please or impress someone, regale them — that is, treat them to lavish food and drink. While food is a reliable way to regale someone, regale can also involve providing forms of entertainment such as music or storytelling. Regale is akin to the word gala, meaning “a festive party,” and gallant, which can mean “spirited and adventurous” (though gallant can also mean “noble and brave”). If you regale someone with a gala attended by partygoers who are gallant, in either sense of the word, everyone should have a pretty good time.
Vocabulary lists containing regale
The Martian
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Oliver Twist
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Unbroken
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
During meetings to discuss the dolls, Bob often would regale us with stories of celebrities he worked with, complete with dish about who was fun to work with and who was more “challenging.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Overhearing them, the dentist left a patient in the chair to regale them with his market winnings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
At the end of the hearing, committee members agreed to meet in a secure facility on Wednesday afternoon to hear Mullin regale them with his tales of daring from a decade ago.
From Slate ● Mar. 18, 2026
In the meantime, Dottie will regale the team, the pub and pretty much anyone else within earshot with substantially exaggerated tales of Ted’s youth.
From New York Times ● May 24, 2023
So the large one decided to regale them with further information.
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
As he regales the young man who cleans his nursing home room with vivid details from his past lives, a more tragic picture emerges.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 7, 2023
When he sits down with his haddock and regales the eager cadets with stories of his biggest professional successes, he is putting up a front.
From New York Times ● Mar. 9, 2023
Try as he might to squelch them, Joel's paternal urges rise up to meet her playfulness when she regales him with puns or teases him for his seriousness.
From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2023
Cole regales Shorter with the history of the neighborhood where both have chosen to lay their heads.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 27, 2021
Dylan has hijacked the spotlight as he regales his “tale of a young man who flipped off Death” to Ethan and Arthur and gives them tips on how they can also “escape Death’s clutches.”
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
On a visit to Samar midway through his training, Horbenko regaled relatives with stories of his training, showing video clips from the shooting ground.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
Speaking from Michigan before a backdrop of American flags, Slotkin was much more concise and much less animated than the president, who regaled Republicans on the House floor for an hour and 40 minutes.
From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2025
Attempting to explain away what had happened, Watson regaled the courtroom with "Leave It to Beaver"-style stories of his upbringing.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2024
Phil, she regaled attendees for nearly three hours with a set list that jumped from son jarocho to rock en español to cumbia.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2024
She explained that a flock of geese had flown over the bay and regaled the coastal birds with the amazing story of the wild robot and her son, the goose.
From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown
Here, Robyn delights in regaling the listener with the contradictory ideas of motherhood she’s encountered in the four years since becoming a mom to her son, Tyko.
From Salon ● Jan. 10, 2026
Genge will enjoy regaling him with the story of his score over that beverage.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2025
Cut to Jackie amid the tumult of a construction site, regaling a documentary crew with her plan to erect an “exact replica” of the palace.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2025
Although he may delight in regaling his fellow denizens with tales of his days at sea, Thorfinn’s tough exterior belies his innate affection and desire for human connection.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2024
By this time, getting arrested was routine for Nation, who never remained in jail long after regaling her keepers with stories of her wild escapades.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
