sacrament
noun
sac·ra·ment
ˈsa-krə-mənt 
1
a
: a Christian rite (such as baptism or the Eucharist) that is believed to have been ordained by Christ and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality
b
: a religious rite or observance comparable to a Christian sacrament
2
3
: something likened to a religious sacrament
saw voting as a sacrament of democracy
Examples of sacrament in a Sentence
They stood in line to receive the Sacrament.
Recent Examples on the Web
The approach requires no priest, no holy sacrament, no one to intercede with God on the person’s behalf.
—
Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 20 Mar. 2024
In a Catholic diocese, a cathedral serves as the bishop's home church and the site of important religious events for the diocese such as the ordination of new priests and the annual Chrism Mass, where the oils used in sacraments throughout the diocese are blessed, traditionally on Holy Thursday.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
The consumption of the casualties, so to speak, was portrayed in that 1993 film as a form of Eucharist (a comparison made by at least one of the 16 eventual real-life survivors, in answer to their critics) and the meal as a sacrament.
—John Anderson, WSJ, 2 Jan. 2024
We’re gathered for a weird communion: to receive the sacraments from the wry cowboy prophet, Bob Weir, to lay roses and skulls before the shrine of St. Jerome Garcia, to fare Dead & Company well.
—Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023
It’s evidenced when boys, and only boys, pass the sacrament as a part of the faith’s most reverent and repeated rite every Sunday, while the girls sit on the chapel benches to await the renewal of covenants at the hands of boys.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023
Blessings are signposts to the sacraments, not substitutes for them.
—Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 24 Dec. 2023
But Martin and others interpreted the text as standing permission to hold such services inside Catholic churches, as long as they were framed in ways that avoided a reference to a Catholic sacrament or liturgical ritual.
—Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 18 Dec. 2023
When Nativity School of Worcester refused to take the flags down, McManus said it could no longer be called a Catholic school, and stripped Nativity of the right to celebrate Mass and the sacraments.
—Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Aug. 2023
Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 20 Mar. 2024
In a Catholic diocese, a cathedral serves as the bishop's home church and the site of important religious events for the diocese such as the ordination of new priests and the annual Chrism Mass, where the oils used in sacraments throughout the diocese are blessed, traditionally on Holy Thursday.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
The consumption of the casualties, so to speak, was portrayed in that 1993 film as a form of Eucharist (a comparison made by at least one of the 16 eventual real-life survivors, in answer to their critics) and the meal as a sacrament.
—John Anderson, WSJ, 2 Jan. 2024
We’re gathered for a weird communion: to receive the sacraments from the wry cowboy prophet, Bob Weir, to lay roses and skulls before the shrine of St. Jerome Garcia, to fare Dead & Company well.
—Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023
It’s evidenced when boys, and only boys, pass the sacrament as a part of the faith’s most reverent and repeated rite every Sunday, while the girls sit on the chapel benches to await the renewal of covenants at the hands of boys.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023
Blessings are signposts to the sacraments, not substitutes for them.
—Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 24 Dec. 2023
But Martin and others interpreted the text as standing permission to hold such services inside Catholic churches, as long as they were framed in ways that avoided a reference to a Catholic sacrament or liturgical ritual.
—Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 18 Dec. 2023
When Nativity School of Worcester refused to take the flags down, McManus said it could no longer be called a Catholic school, and stripped Nativity of the right to celebrate Mass and the sacraments.
—Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sacrament.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sacrament
Cite this Entry
“Sacrament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrament. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sacrament
noun
sac·ra·ment
ˈsak-rə-mənt
1
: a religious act that is a sign or symbol of a spiritual existence
2
capitalized
: blessed sacrament
sacramental
adjective
ˌsak-rə-ˈment-ᵊl
sacramentally
adverb
-ᵊl-ē
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