observance
noun
\
Definition of observance
1a : a customary practice, rite, or ceremony Sabbath observances
b : a rule governing members of a religious order
2 : an act or instance of following a custom, rule, or law observance of the speed limits
3 : an act or instance of watching
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Synonyms & Antonyms for observance
Synonyms
abidance, adherence, compliance, conformance, conformity, keeping, obedience, observation
Antonyms
breach, contravention, infraction, infringement, nonobservance, transgression, trespass, violation
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Examples of observance in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The monastery saw the return of Jewish life through prayer services, the observance of holidays and the printing of the first Talmud using the monastery’s printing press. — Emanuella Grinberg, Smithsonian, "When a Bavarian Monastery Provided a Home to Jewish Refugees," 11 July 2018 This Opinion does no more than hold the Government accountable to its own policy, which recently has been honored more in the breach than the observance. — Spencer S. Hsu, The Seattle Times, "Judge blocks crackdown on asylum seekers, bars blanket detentions of those with persecution claims," 3 July 2018 This Opinion does no more than hold the Government accountable to its own policy, which recently has been honored more in the breach than the observance. — Spencer S. Hsu, Washington Post, "U.S. judge blocks Trump crackdown on asylum seekers, bars blanket detentions of those with persecution claims," 2 July 2018 This Opinion does no more than hold the Government accountable to its own policy, which recently has been honored more in the breach than the observance. — Spencer S. Hsu, chicagotribune.com, "Judge blocks crackdown on asylum seekers, bars blanket detentions of those with persecution claims," 2 July 2018 President Woodrow Wilson, in a ceremony recognizing the first national observance of Flag Day, was asked about his thoughts on Ross. — Josh Axelrod And Saeed Ahmed, CNN, "It's Flag Day. Here are some fun facts about the American flag you may not have known," 14 June 2018 Lori’s visit coincided with the church’s observance of the Feast of Corpus Christi, a celebration of the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation in communion. — Sarah Meehan, Howard County Times, "Archbishop Lori, Ellicott City parishioners pray for Hermond, other flooding victims at Mass," 2 June 2018 The commission supervises the observance of the pre-Vatican II Latin Rite and was created to accommodate disaffected conservative Catholics. — Sam Roberts, BostonGlobe.com, "Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, Vatican conservative," 24 May 2018 In the lead up to the two-year observance of the Pulse nightclub shooting, the onePulse Foundation has announced its schedule for a Week of Remembrance of the 49 killed. — Ryan Gillespie, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Pulse remembrance week events announced by onePULSE Foundation," 22 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'observance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
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A Drudge of Lexicographers Presents: Collective Nouns
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Dictionary Entries near observance
Statistics for observance
Last Updated
28 Aug 2018
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for observance
The first known use of observance was in the 13th century
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More Definitions for observance
observance
noun
English Language Learners Definition of observance
: the practice of following a custom, rule, law, etc.
: an act that is part of a ceremony or ritual
See the full definition for observance in the English Language Learners Dictionary
observance
noun
\
Kids Definition of observance
1 : an established practice or ceremony religious observances
2 : an act of following a custom, rule, or law Careful observance of the speed limit is a wise idea.
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