plural religions
1
: the belief in a god or in a group of gods
Many people turn to religion for comfort in a time of crisis.
2
: an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods
There are many religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.
Shinto is a religion that is unique to Japan.
I think that children should be taught about different religions. [=faiths]
It is against my religion [=my beliefs do not allow me] to drink alcohol.
They advocated for freedom of religion. [=the right to choose what religion to follow and to worship without interference]
She no longer participates in organized religion. [=a belief system that has large numbers of followers and a set of rules that must be followed]
3
informal
: an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group
Hockey is a religion in Canada.
Politics are a religion to him.
Where I live, high school football is religion.
Food is religion in this house.
Cite this Entry
“Religion.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/religion. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.
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