hallowed

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

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

• venerable
• venerated
• revered
• sacred

Examples of hallowed in a Sentence

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

The battleship, now a military cemetery reachable only by boat, has stood as one of the nation’s most hallowed sites since Japan bombed and sank it in 1941. —Jim Mustian, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026

Last year, Yale ran into some hot pitching and watched Columbia win the tournament and celebrate on its hallowed field. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 13 May 2026

Kevin Hart subjected himself to one of comedy’s most hallowed and excruciating traditions last night, the roast. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2026

Around 30 years ago, however, that dichotomy disappeared when fashion emerged as a global phenomenon, exploding beyond the pages of specialty publications and exclusive salons to reach every corner of the world, from social media to the hallowed halls of museums. —Patricia Mears, Air Mail, 9 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

see hallow

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for hallowed

• unhallowed

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