hymnals are distributed among the congregation before the church service so everyone can join in the singing
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Onstage, musicians scroll through New Age worship lyrics on iPhones propped on tripods, where hymnals once might have been.—Tara Palmeri, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026 The Shaker hymnal, in the hands of the composer Daniel Blumberg, becomes a maddeningly infectious soundtrack.—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Jan. 2026 Some objects come with a bit of mystery, like this hymnal cover.—Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 19 Nov. 2025 To illustrate his point, Mogomo held up a copy of a hymnal in Shona, a local language spoken in many parts of Zimbabwe, drew inspiration from an English hymnal but is retrofitted to contain more culturally meaningful liturgy.—Liam Adams, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hymnal
Word History
Etymology
Middle English hymnale, from Medieval Latin, from Latin hymnus