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

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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

On your return to the city’s center, take two detours, one sacred, the other blessedly profane. — Michael J. Bailey, BostonGlobe.com, "In Milan, a low-tech saunter through a mecca of high fashion," 18 June 2019 Coca was once also considered sacred by certain Colombian indigenous tribes. — The Economist, "Indigenous Colombians fear losing their hallucinogenic brews," 14 June 2019 Hindus consider cows sacred and Muslims do not eat pigs. — Michael Mayo, sun-sentinel.com, "Review: Bombay Darbar brings some new flavor (Indian) to Las Olas," 13 June 2019 The cow is considered sacred in Hinduism, which is why the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh—the BJP’s ideological mothership—condemns beef eating. — Itika Sharma Punit, Quartz India, "Hackers target BJP website, embed beef recipes during Modi’s swearing-in," 30 May 2019 Like Borat, the online world is profane and disorderly and constantly agitated; the wife, on the other hand, is imagined as sacred, eternal, controlled. — Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, "Please, My Wife, She’s Very Online," 5 June 2019 Religious tradition, for instance, can do all three — its piety cultivates a sense of duty toward the sacred and also drives people to commit acts of atrocity. — Sahil Handa, National Review, "Seeking a Way Out of Our Modern Malaise," 4 June 2019 BeBe Winans, a member of the famed family of Detroit gospel singers, said in an interview Thursday that Ms. Franklin’s roots in sacred music could be heard in her vocals, no matter the genre. — John Jurgensen, WSJ, "‘The Whole World Will Miss Her’: Celebrities, Fans Mourn Aretha Franklin," 16 Aug. 2018 The ritual of viewing cherry blossoms dates back to the 700s in Japan, when the trees were considered sacred and connected to specific religious beliefs, per PBS. — Maggie Maloney, Town & Country, "How Cherry Blossoms Became the Most Celebrated Event of the Spring," 2 Apr. 2019

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.