communal
gb/kəmjˈunəl/ us/kəmjˈunəl/
B2
English
~ 8700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
relation
1
shared by a group
Used by everyone in a group, not owned or used by just one person.
Usage pattern:
communal [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "community" instead of "communal", saying *"a community kitchen"* when they mean a kitchen shared by residents of a building. "Community kitchen" usually refers to a social service project providing food to the public, while "communal kitchen" describes a shared kitchen inside a building. Learners also sometimes use "public" when they mean "communal"; "public" means open to everyone, not just members of a specific group or building.
Synonyms
shared (Very general word; does not always suggest an organized group or community, while "communal" often does.)
|
collective (More formal and can suggest joint decision-making or responsibility, not just shared use.)
Antonyms
private (Emphasizes that something belongs to or is used by one person or family only, not by a group.)
|
individual (Highlights that something is for a single person rather than a group.)
Collocations
communal kitchen
|communal garden
|communal area
|communal space
|communal facilities
|communal table
Themes
society
|housing
|work
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The flat has a communal kitchen that all twelve students share.
- Residents are responsible for cleaning the communal areas of the building.
- We grow vegetables together in a communal garden behind the block.
- The hostel offers free breakfast in a large communal dining room.
- Many co-working spaces have communal desks instead of private offices.
Learner examples
- We all cook in the communal kitchen.
- There is a big communal area on the first floor.
- They eat dinner at a long communal table every night.
- The house has a small communal garden at the back.
- Students share the communal bathroom in the hall.
adjective
C1
relation
2
between social or ethnic groups
About how different groups in a community, like ethnic or religious groups, live together or fight with each other.
Usage pattern:
communal [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners may think "communal violence" means violence in a shared space. In news and politics, "communal" here refers to violence between groups (often ethnic or religious), not just in a public or shared place. Learners may also confuse "communal" with "community" and say *"community tensions"*; this is possible in some contexts, but in many news reports "communal tensions" is the more fixed, idiomatic phrase.
Synonyms
intercommunal (More technical and formal; used mainly in political or academic contexts for relations between communities.)
|
ethnic (Focuses specifically on ethnic groups; "communal" can include other types of groups such as religious or neighborhood groups.)
Antonyms
individual (Shifts focus from group-based relations or conflicts to actions or issues involving single persons.)
|
personal (Describes issues between particular people, not between large organized groups.)
Collocations
communal violence
|communal tensions
|communal riots
|communal harmony
|communal conflict
|communal divisions
Themes
society
|politics
|relationships
Examples
- The government is worried about rising communal tensions in the region.
- Several people were killed in communal violence after the election results were announced.
- The new policy aims to promote communal harmony among different religious groups.
- Journalists reported that old grievances had fueled the latest outbreak of communal riots.
- Leaders from both sides met to calm communal fears and prevent further conflict.
Learner examples
- The news showed scenes of communal violence in the city.
- The mayor spoke about the need for communal harmony.
- Communal tensions increased after the attack.
- They started a project to reduce communal conflict in the area.
- Many people left the town because of communal riots.
adjective
C1
relation
3
relating to a commune
About a way of living where people live together in a group and share money, work, and things, like in a commune.
Usage pattern:
communal [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "communal" here when they only mean that roommates share a flat. In everyday shared apartments, "shared house" or "shared flat" is more natural; "communal living" usually suggests a stronger, more organized lifestyle choice, like a commune or intentional community.
Synonyms
collective (Often used for political or economic structures; "communal" here specifically suggests shared everyday living.)
|
cooperative (Stresses working together and sometimes legal structure; "communal" more strongly suggests shared life and space.)
Antonyms
individualistic (Emphasizes people acting and living separately, focused on their own interests rather than shared living.)
|
private (Describes separate ownership and living arrangements instead of shared property and space.)
Collocations
communal living
|communal household
|communal lifestyle
|communal farm
|communal village
|communal experiment
Themes
society
|lifestyle
|daily_life
|housing
Examples
- They spent a year experiencing communal living on an organic farm.
- The 1970s saw a rise in communal households that rejected traditional family models.
- He wrote a book about his time in a communal village in northern Spain.
- Some young families are exploring communal lifestyles to save money and build stronger social ties.
- The project started as a small communal farm run by five friends.
Learner examples
- They are interested in communal living on a farm.
- The group started a communal household in the city.
- She wrote about her life in a communal village.
- Many people in the 1960s tried communal lifestyles.
- They left their jobs to join a communal farm.
Grammar
Dictionary form
communal
IPA
GB/kəmjˈunəl/
US/kəmjˈunəl/
Syllables & stress
com - mun - al (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (mun)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: communal
Word family
Expressions
communal area
1/kəmjˈunəl ˈɛɹiə/
fixed phrase
shared part of a building
A place in a building, like a hall, living room, or garden, that everyone who lives there can use.
Examples
- Smoking is not allowed in any communal area of the building.
- The rent includes cleaning of all communal areas, such as corridors and stairwells.
- Tenants are asked to keep the communal area tidy for everyone.
communal living
1/kəmjˈunəl lˈɪvɪŋ/
fixed phrase
living together and sharing a lot
A way of living where people live together and share a home, work, and many things instead of living as separate households.
Examples
- The documentary looks at communal living in modern eco-villages.
- Rising rents have pushed more young people to try communal living in big houses.
- They found communal living difficult at first but later enjoyed the strong sense of community.
communal meal
1/kəmjˈunəl mˈil/
fixed phrase
meal shared by a group
A meal that many people eat together, usually sitting at one or more big tables and sharing the food.
Examples
- Every Friday the residents cook a big communal meal in the courtyard.
- The workshop ended with a communal meal where participants shared dishes from their home countries.
- Communal meals helped build friendships in the student residence.
communal space
1/kəmjˈunəl spˈeɪs/
fixed phrase
shared space for everyone
A place that everyone in a group can use, such as a shared living room, garden, or work area.
Examples
- The building has a large communal space on the roof for events and parties.
- Designers included more communal spaces to encourage people to meet their neighbors.
- Students often study together in the communal space next to the cafeteria.
communal violence
1/kəmjˈunəl vˈaɪələns/
fixed phrase
group-based violence in a community
Violence between different groups in a community, often between religious or ethnic groups, not just between single people.
Examples
- The region has a long history of communal violence between rival clans.
- Leaders called for calm after a week of communal violence left dozens injured.
- The report blamed social media posts for spreading rumors that sparked the communal violence.