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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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Warnock said in his sermon that the prophet Isaiah provides words of hope but also a road map on how to move forward.—
Tia Mitchell,
AJC.com,
15 June 2026
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The fracas played out in heated sermons, editorials, and denominational meetings.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Noun
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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.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
15 June 2026
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What is in danger is that this will strip away the soul, the raw humanity actors like Jim Handy brough to each role and replace it with flat, generalized platitudes.—
Carl Kurlander,
Deadline,
13 June 2026
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.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2026
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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.—
Nick Bowlin,
ProPublica,
18 May 2026
Noun
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In the last few decades, that swagger seems to have collapsed under the weight of a tepid banality.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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One effect of this austerity and repression is to focus attention on Albee’s language, with its slippery banalities and barbs.—
Steven Winn,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As the old saying goes, courage is contagious.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
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Strapping’s product mix is equal parts practical and playful, from tasteful housewares to apparel and linens with sassy sayings.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
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This is certainly true—and a rather banal truism.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
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Rick Jackson is testing that truism in his campaign for Georgia governor.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
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?—
Ian Irving,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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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.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Maclean’s work traffics in deep fakes and glitch aesthetics, rainbow cuteness and the tropes of pulp—but these are set against violent dystopias and a world of cruelties borne, especially, by women (see her 2018 video Make Me Up as an example).—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
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Dripping with passion and lovingly imbued with film noir tropes, Bound is a pulpy delight.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Homily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/homily. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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