sacrament

noun

sac·ra·ment | \ ˈsa-krə-mənt

Definition of sacrament

1a : a Christian rite (such as baptism or the Eucharist) that is believed to have been ordained by Christ and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality

b : a religious rite or observance comparable to a Christian sacrament

2 capitalized

a : communion sense 2a

b : blessed sacrament

3 : something likened to a religious sacrament saw voting as a sacrament of democracy

Examples of sacrament in a Sentence

They stood in line to receive the Sacrament.

Recent Examples on the Web

More Essays Pope John Paul II and his successors have encouraged Catholics to return to the sacrament. — Rob Taylor And, WSJ, "New Laws Require Priests to Break the ‘Seal of Confession’," 3 Aug. 2018 That emotional trough may have been the catalyst for his conversion, but Jeb soon became an enthusiastic Catholic who loved the ritual and the sacraments. — Matthew Cooper, Newsweek, "How the Presidential Candidates Found Their Faith," 2 Apr. 2015 That sentence would mean that the former cardinal would no longer be allowed to celebrate Mass, administer the sacraments or identify himself as a priest. — Francis X. Rocca, WSJ, "Vatican Aims to Expedite Trial of U.S. Archbishop," 5 Jan. 2019 In 1957, China established the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association to oversee Catholic churches, but the Vatican, despite some recognition of the authority of its priests to administer sacraments, does not fully recognize it. — Jason Horowitz And Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, "Worries Rise as Pope and China Edge Closer to Deal on Bishops," 9 Feb. 2018 About half of the churchgoers left the black-and-gold worship room immediately after receiving their sacrament, with some heading straight to the gift shop to stock up. — Anchorage Daily News, "‘Thank you, God, for the weed’: Pot churches proliferate as states ease access to marijuana," 12 Jan. 2018 These are the first of the Catholic sacraments: Reconciliation is when a child confesses his or her sins to a priest, who then prescribes a penance to cleanse the soul. — Mary Beth Keane, Vogue, "Amid Scandal After Scandal, One Catholic Mother Faces A Painful Choice," 6 Dec. 2018 Ironically, the sacrament of confession is under scrutiny at a time when ever fewer Catholics are making use of it. — Rob Taylor And, WSJ, "New Laws Require Priests to Break the ‘Seal of Confession’," 3 Aug. 2018 Then conclude at the most contemplative, and strongest, third — the gowns evoking orders and sacraments at the Cloisters. — Jason Farago, New York Times, "‘Heavenly Bodies’ Brings the Fabric of Faith to the Met," 9 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sacrament.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.