sacred

adjective

sa·cred | \ˈsā-krəd

\

Definition of sacred

1a : dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity a tree sacred to the gods

b : devoted exclusively to one service or use (as of a person or purpose) a fund sacred to charity

2a : worthy of religious veneration : holy

b : entitled to reverence and respect

3 : of or relating to religion : not secular or profane sacred music

4 archaic : accursed

5a : unassailable, inviolable

b : highly valued and important a sacred responsibility

Other Words from sacred Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about sacred

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Examples of sacred in a Sentence

The burial site is sacred ground. the sacred image of the Virgin Mary the sacred pursuit of liberty We have a sacred duty to find out the truth. Freedom is a sacred right. They'll make jokes about anything. Nothing is sacred to those guys. I can't believe they would do that. Is nothing sacred?

Recent Examples on the Web

The prophet’s invitation to Jane was an example of his racially inclusive stance on sacred temple ordinances. — Mica Mcgriggs, Teen Vogue, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Celebrated the 40-Year Anniversary of the Lifted Ban Against Black Members," 11 July 2018 Muslims consider the Call to Prayer quite sacred, and view remixes of the call to be an example of misuse. — Kat Bein, Billboard, "Solomun Says He's Sorry 'to All Muslims' For Playing Call to Prayer At Festival," 10 July 2018 Ravasi cited the decommissioning of a Prague church that was turned into a nightclub as a decidedly incorrect way of disposing of a once-sacred space. — Fox News, "Vatican drafting guidelines on proper uses for sold churches," 10 July 2018 Peter Unger traveled the world, first in the Navy at the tail end of the Korean War and then as a free spirit searching the ancient paths of India for life's sacred meaning. — J.d. Gallop, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Nearly half a dozen people have died in Walmart parking lots in Brevard County since 2015," 24 June 2018 The tacos are simple: sliced avocado on a blue corn tortilla pressed with hoja santa, a large herby leaf considered sacred in Mesoamerican mythology. — Hilary Cadigan, Bon Appetit, "In a Land of Tortilla Factories, Enrique Olvera’s New Tortilleria Is Doing It Old School," 20 June 2018 The tribe's elders are very particular about how sacred objects are treated. — Elizabeth Elkin And Saeed Ahmed, CNN, "Nine sacred artifacts stolen from a Native American tribe are finally returned over 100 years later," 11 June 2018 In Greek mythology Tiresias was a blind seer who was turned into a woman for seven years as punishment for hitting some sacred snakes. — Dmitry Samarov, Chicago Reader, "Tiresias Was a Weatherman is an Antigone for our age of extreme weather and constant medication," 8 June 2018 Some of the architectural and artistic features were inspired by sacred geometry principles of the traditions of a Native American tribe, says Logan. — Janet Eastman, OregonLive.com, "Ashland healer's home, for sale at $5 million, has dome skylights, lavender maze (photos)," 5 June 2018

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

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Last Updated

30 Sep 2018

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Time Traveler for sacred

The first known use of sacred was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for sacred

sacred

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of sacred

: worthy of religious worship : very holy

: relating to religion

: highly valued and important : deserving great respect

See the full definition for sacred in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sacred

adjective

sa·cred | \ˈsā-krəd

\

Kids Definition of sacred

1 : holy sense 1 a sacred shrine

2 : religious sense 2 sacred songs

3 : deserving to be respected and honored Freedom is a sacred right.

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evasion of direct action or statement

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