herb·al
ˈ(h)ər-bəl 
1
: a book about plants especially with reference to their medicinal properties
2
archaic
: herbarium sense 1
3
: herbal medicine sense 2
Some herbals may indeed be gentle remedies. But using them with prescription drugs can be a dangerous mix.—
Josh Fischman
Josh FischmanExamples of herbal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebMicah A Leal, Southern Living, 12 July 2023
To offset the heat, there are flaky roti and thick wedges of buttered white toast, plus cold bottles of Indian beer and mango lassis, which become a dessert called Mastani with the addition of vanilla ice cream, nuts, and bright-green, herbal-tasting khus syrup, made from vetiver grass.
—Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2023
The cliche is that cider is sickly sweet and with a high alcohol level — but Scion’s selection includes draft ciders that range from 4 to 12% ABV, and the flavor profiles range from extremely dry and tannic to tart to herbal to sweet.
—Stefene Russell, The Salt Lake Tribune, 2 Jan. 2023
There are so many possibilities for their daily cup of tea with this sampler of nine varieties, including black, green, white, and herbal.
—Samantha Lawyer, Woman's Day, 3 Jan. 2023
Its user-friendly design includes pre-programmed temperature settings for different types of tea, including oolong, green, black/herbal, and white, as well as a general boil setting.
—Adria Greenhauff, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2022
Luckily for tea lovers, these tea advent calendars are decked out with black, green, herbal and tons of other teas and blends from your favorite brands such as Pukka, DAVIDsTea and more.
—Katarina Avendaño, Good Housekeeping, 27 Sep. 2022
Well structured, round with dense yellow fruit, a little waxy and herbal.
—Lana Bortolot, Forbes, 3 June 2022
From sweet to savory to spicy to herbal, this spread hits an impressive number of notes.
—Gabriela Aoun, Outside Online, 10 Nov. 2020
Dominique Fluker, Essence, 4 Apr. 2024
Andrew Price’s review found Nerve Control 911 uses a combination of herbal compounds in the formula which helps consumers to improve muscle function by targeting the root cause of neuropathy; inflammatory nerve poisoning.
—Andrew Price, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Green Goddess Cocktail This green dream of a cocktail uses cucumber, jalapeño, mint and arugula to achieve its vibrant hue and refreshing, herbal flavor.
—Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
The artist developed teas and treatment oils for the hotel from her herbal mixtures.
—Gisela Williams Marina O’Loughlin Roxanne Fequiere Camille Sojit Pejcha Gisela Williams, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Herbal Tea Ritual: Enjoy a cup of caffeine-free herbal tea, such as chamomile or lavender, to promote relaxation and create a soothing bedtime ritual.
—Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024
The fat from using both olive oil and butter really helps lock in fresh herbal flavor to every bite.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2024
In subgroup analyses, the researchers did not find a causal relationship between bone density and specific teas themselves, including green tea and herbal tea.
—Lauren Manaker Ms, Rdn, Ld, Verywell Health, 22 Mar. 2024
The Irish whiskey meets you up front, its light caramel sweetness amplified by the Chartreuse, while the mid-palate goes deep with vermouth’s red fruit before handing the baton back to the Chartreuse for long finish of herbal fireworks, a perfect adult companion for St. Patrick’s Day.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2024
Noun
There is a wide range in taste from one extra-virgin olive oil to another, from herbal and fruity to bitter and peppery, depending on the olives harvested.
—Micah A Leal, Southern Living, 12 July 2023
To offset the heat, there are flaky roti and thick wedges of buttered white toast, plus cold bottles of Indian beer and mango lassis, which become a dessert called Mastani with the addition of vanilla ice cream, nuts, and bright-green, herbal-tasting khus syrup, made from vetiver grass.
—Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2023
The cliche is that cider is sickly sweet and with a high alcohol level — but Scion’s selection includes draft ciders that range from 4 to 12% ABV, and the flavor profiles range from extremely dry and tannic to tart to herbal to sweet.
—Stefene Russell, The Salt Lake Tribune, 2 Jan. 2023
There are so many possibilities for their daily cup of tea with this sampler of nine varieties, including black, green, white, and herbal.
—Samantha Lawyer, Woman's Day, 3 Jan. 2023
Its user-friendly design includes pre-programmed temperature settings for different types of tea, including oolong, green, black/herbal, and white, as well as a general boil setting.
—Adria Greenhauff, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Nov. 2022
Luckily for tea lovers, these tea advent calendars are decked out with black, green, herbal and tons of other teas and blends from your favorite brands such as Pukka, DAVIDsTea and more.
—Katarina Avendaño, Good Housekeeping, 27 Sep. 2022
Well structured, round with dense yellow fruit, a little waxy and herbal.
—Lana Bortolot, Forbes, 3 June 2022
From sweet to savory to spicy to herbal, this spread hits an impressive number of notes.
—Gabriela Aoun, Outside Online, 10 Nov. 2020
Adjective
Increase your consumption of herbal teas like spearmint, chamomile, and raspberry leaf tea.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 4 Apr. 2024
Andrew Price’s review found Nerve Control 911 uses a combination of herbal compounds in the formula which helps consumers to improve muscle function by targeting the root cause of neuropathy; inflammatory nerve poisoning.
—Andrew Price, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Green Goddess Cocktail This green dream of a cocktail uses cucumber, jalapeño, mint and arugula to achieve its vibrant hue and refreshing, herbal flavor.
—Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
The artist developed teas and treatment oils for the hotel from her herbal mixtures.
—Gisela Williams Marina O’Loughlin Roxanne Fequiere Camille Sojit Pejcha Gisela Williams, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Herbal Tea Ritual: Enjoy a cup of caffeine-free herbal tea, such as chamomile or lavender, to promote relaxation and create a soothing bedtime ritual.
—Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024
The fat from using both olive oil and butter really helps lock in fresh herbal flavor to every bite.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2024
In subgroup analyses, the researchers did not find a causal relationship between bone density and specific teas themselves, including green tea and herbal tea.
—Lauren Manaker Ms, Rdn, Ld, Verywell Health, 22 Mar. 2024
The Irish whiskey meets you up front, its light caramel sweetness amplified by the Chartreuse, while the mid-palate goes deep with vermouth’s red fruit before handing the baton back to the Chartreuse for long finish of herbal fireworks, a perfect adult companion for St. Patrick’s Day.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'herbal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Herbal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herbal. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
herbal
1 of 2 noun
herb·al
ˈ(h)ər-bəl
1
: a book about plants especially with reference to their medical properties
2
herbal
2 of 2 adjective
: of, relating to, or made of herbs
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