corral

1 of 2

noun

cor·​ral kə-ˈral How to pronounce corral (audio)
-ˈrel
Synonyms of corral
1
: a pen or enclosure for confining or capturing livestock
herded the cattle into the corral
2
: an enclosure made with wagons for defense of an encampment

corral

2 of 2

verb

corralled; corralling

transitive verb

1
: to enclose in a corral (see corral entry 1 sense 1)
corralled the horses
2
: to arrange (wagons) so as to form a corral (see corral entry 1 sense 2)
3
: collect, gather
corralling votes for the upcoming election

Synonyms of corral

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Noun

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of corral in a Sentence

Noun the horses live in our corral, along with a cow Verb corralled everyone in the conference room for a speech by the CEO corralled a scattering of stray pens and quickly stuffed them in the drawer to tidy the desk
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Jones, who has reportedly been able to sell wild horses without online advertisements or a sign at his corral, is not the only allegedly questionable reseller. — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026 According to the listing, the estate was custom built for the princess, with horse corrals, large stretches of usable land, and enough seclusion to feel removed from the hurly-burly of Los Angeles. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
Brown said the handlers ran across the field trying to track her down before she was eventually corralled and safely led back in her trailer. — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Eighty-eight players will receive the Pro Bowl honor with no alternates, corralling a key aspect of the all-star event that had gotten out of whack in recent years. — Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for corral

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Spanish, from Vulgar Latin *currale enclosure for vehicles, from Latin currus cart, from currere to run — more at car

First Known Use

Noun

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1847, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of corral was in 1582

Rhymes for corral

See All Rhymes for corral

Browse Nearby Words

corrade
corral
corrasion
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Corral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corral. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

corral

1 of 2 noun
cor·​ral kə-ˈral How to pronounce corral (audio)
1
: a pen for keeping or capturing livestock
2
: an enclosure made with wagons for defense of a camp

corral

2 of 2 verb
corralled; corralling
1
: to keep in or as if in a corral
2
: surround entry 1, capture
3
: to arrange wagons so as to form a corral

More from Merriam-Webster on corral

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about corral

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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