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Synonyms
Example Sentences
Noun
The priest will perform the ritual.
He was buried simply, without ceremony or ritual.
the daily ritual of preparing breakfast
His day-to-day life is based on ritual.
Recent Examples on the Web
National Geographic, 12 Jan. 2023
The only thing certain is that the most important ritual following the death of a pope — a conclave to elect a new one — does not apply.
—Time, 28 Dec. 2022
Jennifer Lawrence had a unique post-premiere ritual with her Hunger Games costars, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth.
—Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 3 Nov. 2022
Archaeologists say the children and llamas were slaughtered all at once in a ritual sacrifice performed by the ancient Chimú civilization.
—Megan Schmidt, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2019
Theorizing about that was certainly a lot more fun than watching the coverage of Kevin McCarthy’s ritual humiliation.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 11 Jan. 2023
On May 14, 2021, Khalid posted a photo of himself with a sarcastic caption criticizing a common Shia ritual.
—WIRED, 5 Jan. 2023
During her tenure, the court also ruled that mikvehs, or ritual baths, in Israel had to be made available for the use of non-Orthodox converts to Judaism.
—Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2023
Remember, though—this whole thing is about honoring the mighty Ullr; be sure to toss a Christmas tree on the fest’s ritual bonfire to appease him so that your calendar may be stacked with endless powder days.
—Shawnté Salabert, Outside Online, 4 Jan. 2023
Deanne Revel, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Jan. 2023
The roughly 75-minute work for 13 men brilliantly fuses a contemporary theatricality with street dance, capoeira, martial arts, and Sufi imagery to create a sense of communal ritual and power.
—BostonGlobe.com, 19 Jan. 2023
For its devotees, the Geezer party isn’t just a link to the past, but a sustaining communal ritual.
—Joseph Bernstein, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2023
Dry January, the month some people abstain from drinking as part of a New Year’s ritual, has grown in popularity since the term was first coined about a decade ago.
—Alexa Mikhail, Fortune, 1 Jan. 2023
More than 100 people raised voices unified in song and ritual at Temple Sinai, in Northwest Washington.
—Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 31 Dec. 2022
Each treatment, ritual or therapy is based upon outcomes that target your individual needs, from rest, recovery and regeneration to detoxification, movement and health optimisation, as well as reinforcing the spiritual and physical connection.
—Nel-olivia Waga, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022
But paying attention to the finer details can mean the difference between a post-shower ritual that feels blissfully luxurious and one that reminds you of your barebones college dorm bathrooms.
—Anamaria Glavan, Allure, 28 Dec. 2022
Go for the Grab Bag option, which is great for neighbors, or any group that doesn't have the time or inclination to go through an elaborate gift-giving ritual.
—Jill Gleeson, Country Living, 28 Nov. 2022
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Adjective
The answer is with efficiency, panache, ritual, delicious freshness, and joy.
—National Geographic, 12 Jan. 2023
The only thing certain is that the most important ritual following the death of a pope — a conclave to elect a new one — does not apply.
—Time, 28 Dec. 2022
Jennifer Lawrence had a unique post-premiere ritual with her Hunger Games costars, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth.
—Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 3 Nov. 2022
Archaeologists say the children and llamas were slaughtered all at once in a ritual sacrifice performed by the ancient Chimú civilization.
—Megan Schmidt, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2019
Theorizing about that was certainly a lot more fun than watching the coverage of Kevin McCarthy’s ritual humiliation.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 11 Jan. 2023
On May 14, 2021, Khalid posted a photo of himself with a sarcastic caption criticizing a common Shia ritual.
—WIRED, 5 Jan. 2023
During her tenure, the court also ruled that mikvehs, or ritual baths, in Israel had to be made available for the use of non-Orthodox converts to Judaism.
—Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2023
Remember, though—this whole thing is about honoring the mighty Ullr; be sure to toss a Christmas tree on the fest’s ritual bonfire to appease him so that your calendar may be stacked with endless powder days.
—Shawnté Salabert, Outside Online, 4 Jan. 2023
Noun
Tea deserves its own cup for the simple ritual and thousands-year practice that is making tea.
—Deanne Revel, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Jan. 2023
The roughly 75-minute work for 13 men brilliantly fuses a contemporary theatricality with street dance, capoeira, martial arts, and Sufi imagery to create a sense of communal ritual and power.
—BostonGlobe.com, 19 Jan. 2023
For its devotees, the Geezer party isn’t just a link to the past, but a sustaining communal ritual.
—Joseph Bernstein, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2023
Dry January, the month some people abstain from drinking as part of a New Year’s ritual, has grown in popularity since the term was first coined about a decade ago.
—Alexa Mikhail, Fortune, 1 Jan. 2023
More than 100 people raised voices unified in song and ritual at Temple Sinai, in Northwest Washington.
—Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 31 Dec. 2022
Each treatment, ritual or therapy is based upon outcomes that target your individual needs, from rest, recovery and regeneration to detoxification, movement and health optimisation, as well as reinforcing the spiritual and physical connection.
—Nel-olivia Waga, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022
But paying attention to the finer details can mean the difference between a post-shower ritual that feels blissfully luxurious and one that reminds you of your barebones college dorm bathrooms.
—Anamaria Glavan, Allure, 28 Dec. 2022
Go for the Grab Bag option, which is great for neighbors, or any group that doesn't have the time or inclination to go through an elaborate gift-giving ritual.
—Jill Gleeson, Country Living, 28 Nov. 2022
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ritual.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near ritual
Cite this Entry
“Ritual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ritual. Accessed 3 Feb. 2023.
Kids Definition
Medical Definition
ritual
noun
rit·u·al
ˈrich-(ə-)wəl 
More from Merriam-Webster on ritual
Nglish: Translation of ritual for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of ritual for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ritual
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