as in ritual
an oft-repeated action or series of actions performed in accordance with tradition or a set of rules
the annual summer rite of loading up the car for the big family vacation
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Recent Examples of rite
Funeral rites are celebrated for nine days after his death.
—
Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Pope Francis angered traditionalists by restricting the old rite in 2021.
—Christopher Hale, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025
The Bishop of Des Moines asked the Roman Catholic priest to conduct the rite of exorcism on 46-year-old Emma Schmidt (played by Abigail Cowen) in Earling, Iowa.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 6 June 2025
The Eleusinian Mysteries, the annual rite honoring Demeter that was performed in Greece for nearly two thousand years, climaxed with the consumption of a potion called the kykeon, which was said to give participants visions of the afterlife and enable them to commune with their ancestors.
—Michael Pollan, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rite
Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Pope Francis angered traditionalists by restricting the old rite in 2021.
—Christopher Hale, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025
The Bishop of Des Moines asked the Roman Catholic priest to conduct the rite of exorcism on 46-year-old Emma Schmidt (played by Abigail Cowen) in Earling, Iowa.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 6 June 2025
The Eleusinian Mysteries, the annual rite honoring Demeter that was performed in Greece for nearly two thousand years, climaxed with the consumption of a potion called the kykeon, which was said to give participants visions of the afterlife and enable them to commune with their ancestors.
—Michael Pollan, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rite
Noun
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What begins as a strange ritual quickly unravels into a waking nightmare.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 Aug. 2025
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Designing an at-home spa experience in your own space transforms everyday routines into serene self-care rituals.—
Jené Luciani Sena , Caitlyn Martyn
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Photographer Stephanie Naru recently shared pictures of Jess and Dave Tozer’s elopement, with an Instagram carousel full of sweet images from their May 2 private ceremony in St. Luke in the Fields garden in the West Village.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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Tour opening ceremony on June 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rite. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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