as in dissent
departure from a generally accepted theory, opinion, or practice
the heresy of asserting that Shakespeare was not a great writer
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Recent Examples of heresy
She was found guilty of heresy and sorcery in 1441.
—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
In this way, Paul turned the heresy of a tiny sect of Messianic Jews into the dominant religious and cultural architecture of the West for the next couple of thousand years.
—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Any challenge to gun rights was immediate heresy, disqualifying in any measure.
—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
When something is so embedded in our routines, even a small shift can feel like heresy.
—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heresy
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
In this way, Paul turned the heresy of a tiny sect of Messianic Jews into the dominant religious and cultural architecture of the West for the next couple of thousand years.
—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Any challenge to gun rights was immediate heresy, disqualifying in any measure.
—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
When something is so embedded in our routines, even a small shift can feel like heresy.
—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heresy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heresy
Noun
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More than 5,000 miles from the World Cup, human rights advocates say, authorities have been cracking down on protests, social media and other forms of public dissent.
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The election was marred by a crackdown on dissent and insecurity in the Oromia and Amhara regions, where 143 polling stations failed to open, the election board said.
Noun
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But Dhillon’s apparent moderation during that time might also be read as a different way of communicating the same underlying heterodoxy from her Review days.
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Shalom Auslander’s literary career has been built on equal parts comedy, heterodoxy and self-loathing.
Cite this Entry
“Heresy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heresy. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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