1
as in sermon
a public speech usually by a member of the clergy for the purpose of giving moral guidance or uplift
last Sunday's homily was about being kind to your neighbors
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2
as in platitude
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
a TV movie filled with the usual hokey homilies about people triumphing over life's adversities
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Recent Examples of homily
There were a few living, breathing employers at the conference: one panel of executives reciting homilies about starting careers as interns and the importance of hiring interns.
—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
20 Mar. 2026
The following clergy are also set to participate in Cheney's funeral including Hollerith, who will offer the homily.
—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
13 Nov. 2025
No lectures, no homilies, no empty words.
—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
In his fiery homilies, the Monsignor seems to target one new congregation member per week, pushing for the victory of a walkout.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for homily
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
20 Mar. 2026
The following clergy are also set to participate in Cheney's funeral including Hollerith, who will offer the homily.
—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
13 Nov. 2025
No lectures, no homilies, no empty words.
—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
In his fiery homilies, the Monsignor seems to target one new congregation member per week, pushing for the victory of a walkout.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for homily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for homily
Noun
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Dani provides the voiceover, filled with strained metaphors about earthquakes and sermons on the importance of summer, but the pretense that the dialogue is taken from his interrogation is quickly abandoned.
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Warnock said in his sermon that the prophet Isaiah provides words of hope but also a road map on how to move forward.
Noun
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There’s passable yet indistinguishable music in this exact style dropping every day, but the difference with Chicago’s Fatso is that his lyrics feel like scraps of conversations that communicate his hurt without leaning on platitudes.
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Victor Lindelof’s pre-match comments smacked of bombast and confidence, the sort of words which are said but not meant, platitudes used to motivate rather than to be sworn under oath.
Noun
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The president used similar bromides in private calls to assuage allies, including Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson, before launching the war in February, according to people familiar with the conversations.
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Other testing by the state’s environmental quality department found elevated levels of heavy metals commonly found in oil field wastewater including barium and bromide.
Noun
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Communion does him no favors, though, mostly in its sheer banality.
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Here, Laura, a magazine writer in London, drifts through old friendships, failed romances, and the gothic banalities of family life.
Noun
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Like the saying goes, hurt relieves hurt.
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Many families have their own remedies for treating these pesky bites—but as the old saying goes, prevention is better than the cure.
Noun
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This is certainly true—and a rather banal truism.
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Rick Jackson is testing that truism in his campaign for Georgia governor.
Noun
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What does the phrase squeaky bum time, the racehorse Devon Loch, and the Portuguese proverb ‘morrer na prais’ all have in common?
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The rooms The old Japanese proverb ‘*kachou fuugetsu’—*which translates as ‘flower, bird, wind, moon’ evoking a sense of the transient beauty of nature—is a key concept at the hotel.
Noun
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While the crime plot is an obvious highlight, I was stunned by Tilly and Gershon’s incredible chemistry and the rejection of stereotypical noir tropes.
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This cannot happen if lazy tropes around risk and governance continue to overshadow the ingenuity already present on the continent.
Cite this Entry
“Homily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/homily. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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