triumphal
Americanadjective
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of, pertaining to, celebrating, or commemorating a triumph or victory.
a triumphal banquet; a triumphal ode.
adjective
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celebrating a triumph
a triumphal procession
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resembling triumph
Usage
What does triumphal mean? Triumphal means involving, relating to, or celebrating a triumph—an especially significant or noteworthy victory or success. In many cases, triumphal means about the same thing as the more commonly used triumphant—experiencing, celebrating, or having achieved a triumph. Triumph is also commonly used as a verb meaning to win, succeed, or be victorious in an epic or spectacular way. An army can triumph over enemy forces. In stories, good triumphs over evil. A person might be said to triumph over cancer. Triumphal is especially used in situations in which victory or success has come after great difficulty, adversity, or sacrifice, or over an opponent considered difficult to defeat. Sometimes, triumphal describes the state of joy or celebration following a victory or success that is considered a triumph, as in A triumphal feeling filled her as she realized she had won the election. Example: A triumphal victory parade has been planned to celebrate the championship.
Etymology
Origin of triumphal
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Latin word triumphālis. See triumph, -al 1
Vocabulary lists containing triumphal
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.
The eight-minute “Actress” is an aural trip that croons of a lazy wannabe-actress, before it climbs to rocking, triumphal heights with a soaring string section.
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026
Use of artificial intelligence by big companies is exploding—and the soaring cost has some of them pumping the brakes in a way that could complicate AI’s triumphal march across the economy.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
The museum suffered damage, its windows were blown out, but the explosion did not reach the necropolis nor the Roman-era triumphal arch, aqueducts and hippodrome that are also part of the site.
From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026
He has also announced plans to build a triumphal arch as part of plans to mark the nation's 250th anniversary.
From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026
The trip became a triumphal procession as the slow-moving van was rocked by the crowd.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
