sackcloth

noun

sack·​cloth ˈsa(k)-ˌklȯth How to pronounce sackcloth (audio)
1
: a coarse cloth of goat or camel's hair or of flax, hemp, or cotton
2
: a garment of sackcloth worn as a sign of mourning or penitence

Examples of sackcloth in a Sentence

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.
Basically a man who had built a solid reputation as a career university president naively entered the Church of Florida Autocracy, donned sackcloth and ashes and prostrated himself … ultimately for no heavenly reward whatsoever. Ron Cunningham, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025 Activists cloaked in sackcloth marched outside the parking lots. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025 The tradition of receiving ashes originates from biblical times when wearing sackcloth and ashes symbolized repentance. Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025 The travails of these people, including a suspenseful interrogation sequence sending Eunice and her adolescent daughter, their heads wrapped in black sackcloth, to the very place Rubens was seen recently. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sackcloth

Word History

Etymology

sack entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sackcloth was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Sackcloth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sackcloth. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

sackcloth

noun
sack·​cloth ˈsak-ˌ(k)lȯth How to pronounce sackcloth (audio)
1
: rough cloth for sacks
2
: a garment of sackcloth worn as a sign of sorrow

More from Merriam-Webster on sackcloth

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