as in hymns
a religious song
the monks offered up a canticle at dawn on Easter morning
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Recent Examples of canticles
Gustave Doré, the celebrated French illustrator, did elaborate engravings for the three canticles in the mid-19th century and devoted 99 out of 135 of them to Dante Alighieri’s darkest scenes.
—
Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canticles
Noun
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Traditionally played on string instruments like the dulcimer, fiddle, and banjo, this distinctly twangy genre passed down religious hymns, ballads, and folktales through generations.—
Hillary Richard,
Travel + Leisure,
10 June 2026
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But please, lots of rousing hymns.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Charli and preeminent pop divas Olivia Rodrigo and Ariana Grande are releasing some of the bleakest music of their careers just in time for summer, the traditional season for party anthems and celebratory bangers.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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With the controversial move, Russian and Belarusian nationals can now compete freely under national colors, flags, and anthems.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Over the course of Gregory Orr’s long career, his poems have become increasingly incantatory, more and more like chants or psalms, repeating, reformulating, reaching for the edges of the same rich metaphors.—
Craig Morgan Teicher,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
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The epitome of that tradition is Choral Evensong, an evening service of hymns, psalms and prayers laid out by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the first Protestant archbishop of the Church of England, in 1549.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That's4Entertainment's Christmas Con 2026 will take place at the New Jersey Expo Center in Edison, New Jersey, from December 11-13, and its halls will be decked to the gills with carols, tree lightings and sweet treats.—
Breanne L. Heldman,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
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The inspiring and idiosyncratic debut from a 53-year-old priest in Greece pinballs between drone metal and techno Christmas carols, field recordings and hymns.—
Grayson Haver Currin,
Pitchfork,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canticles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canticles. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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