variants
or heathen
1
as in pagans
a person who does not worship the God of the Bible
a study of the beliefs and practices of ancient heathens
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in barbarians
an uncivilized person
European colonizers, who considered the New World peoples to be heathens, forced them to conform to European ways
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heathens
Marc makes an example of the penitent, powerless Jeanne, reminding the rest of his flock of the punishment for apostasy and using her rough time among the heathens as proof of why none under his control should ever want to trade his order for such modern sin and depravity.
—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Happy Easter to all who celebrate and happy Hacks return for the heathens among us worshipping at Deborah Vance’s godless altar — the shrine piling up outside her mansion full of flowers and plush Diet Cokes.
—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
She’s taken, perversely, with John the Baptist, imprisoned in a cistern and prophesying doom for the decadent, Godless heathens, Salome in particular.
—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Predictably, the hubbub surrounding the photo was eventually framed as a war between uptight virgins and godless heathens, with a quieter contingent astounded only by the fact that this kind of marketing could still be so effective.
—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
2 Sep. 2025
Sit next to Cavafy, the Alexandrian poet of philosophers and heathens, and look at Hadrian’s gate still welcoming you in the city of Theseus.
—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2019
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Happy Easter to all who celebrate and happy Hacks return for the heathens among us worshipping at Deborah Vance’s godless altar — the shrine piling up outside her mansion full of flowers and plush Diet Cokes.
—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
She’s taken, perversely, with John the Baptist, imprisoned in a cistern and prophesying doom for the decadent, Godless heathens, Salome in particular.
—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Predictably, the hubbub surrounding the photo was eventually framed as a war between uptight virgins and godless heathens, with a quieter contingent astounded only by the fact that this kind of marketing could still be so effective.
—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
2 Sep. 2025
Sit next to Cavafy, the Alexandrian poet of philosophers and heathens, and look at Hadrian’s gate still welcoming you in the city of Theseus.
—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heathens
Noun
-
Whatever the explanation, thousands of people, many dressed as druids and pagans, will gather at the site on Sunday to see the sun rise.
-
Among those cut was the Unitarian Universalist Association (others were atheists, pagans and Wiccans).
Noun
-
The world drew heavily from the paintings of fantasy illustrator Frank Frazetta, who depicted scenes of barbarians and beasts in conflict, of pulp fiction heroes, femme fatales, and fierce warrior women.
-
To an outsider, the scene may spark a certain Schadenfreude, like an army of tiny barbarians sacking Rome.
Cite this Entry
“Heathens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heathens. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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