hallowed

1 of 2

adjective

hal·​lowed ˈha-(ˌ)lōd 

ˈha-ləd

in the Lord's Prayer often ˈha-lə-wəd

1

: holy, consecrated

the church stands on hallowed ground

2

: sacred, revered

the university's hallowed halls

hallowed customs

hallowed

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of hallow

Did you know?

Hallowed Has Old English Roots

The adjective hallowed, meaning "holy" or "revered," isn’t especially spooky, but its history is entwined with that of a certain spooky season. Hallowed is the past participle of the verb hallow, a term that descends from the Middle English word halowen. That word can be traced back to the Old English adjective hālig, meaning "holy." During the Middle Ages, All Hallows' Day was the name for what Christians now call All Saints' Day (hallow was once used also as a noun referring to a saint), and the evening that preceded All Hallows' Day was All Hallows' Eve or All Hallow Even—or, as we know it today, Halloween. (Although pumpkins are often hollowed out on Halloween, hollow has a different Old English root.)

Synonyms of hallowed

Adjective

• venerable
• venerated
• revered
• sacred

Examples of hallowed in a Sentence

Adjective

The church stands on hallowed ground.

the college's hallowed tradition of ringing the chapel bell one hundred times before commencement ceremonies

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

One of college football’s most hallowed rivalries will continue on, after all. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026

The Curaçaoan legend is the eighth Hall of Famer from the hallowed 1990s Atlanta Braves brotherhood. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 27 July 2026

The show feels like a street dance crossed with a concert (at one point the musicians are introduced by name) that happens to have a hallowed myth threaded down the middle of it. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 25 July 2026

Sending shockwaves through the hallowed halls of Ferrari in the early 90s, The NSX redefined what a supercar could be—lightweight, reliable, technologically advanced and easy to drive. — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see hallow

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hallowed

• unhallowed

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