solemnity

noun

sə-ˈlem-nə-tē How to pronounce solemnity (audio)
Definition of solemnitynext
1
as in intentness
a mental state free of jesting or trifling the coronation ceremony requires absolute solemnity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ritual
an oft-repeated action or series of actions performed in accordance with tradition or a set of rules the solemnities of the Easter vigil service

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of solemnity Gore is best known for Make America Great Again, her 2016 naked portrait of Trump with the paunch and solemnity of the great men of art history, adding, crucially, the tiniest of compensatory micropenises. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026 As his own self-celebration has fizzled, a void has opened between the scheduled roster of events and the true purpose and meaning of the solemnity of July 4, 2026. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026 All the secrecy and almost solemnity added to the anticipation of a launch that was five years in the making. — Charlotte Reed, CNBC, 29 May 2026 Memorial Day approaches each year with a solemnity unlike any other American observance. — Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for solemnity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for solemnity
  1. gravity
  2. ritual
  3. earnestness
  4. ceremony
  5. seriousness
  6. observance
Noun
  • Targeting equipment essential to the preservation of fresh products and to the food supply of the French people is of extreme gravity and is unprecedented.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The smaller probe will then head toward the asteroid's surface, a descent that should take two to three hours depending on 269 Justitia's precise gravity, which remains unknown.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of gravity
Noun
  • Other amenities include a Wellbeing by Auberge program, complete with thermal rituals, skin therapies, and more luxe treatments rooted in a holistic approach to health and longevity.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Estes said the aqueduct's water was used for both practical and religious purposes, including cleaning up after sacrifices and performing purification rituals at the Temple Mount.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ritual
Noun
  • Karen is newly sober, newly released, and seemingly determined to approach this chapter of her life with an earnestness that the rest of the cast may not be emotionally equipped to accommodate.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Elizabeth Strout illustrates a kind man with an endearing earnestness about him who struggles with the fact that the world is not so simple anymore.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of earnestness
Noun
  • The awards were handed out tonight at an imposing ceremony at Rio de Janeiro’s legendary Odeon cinema.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Postwar Hiroshima was a popular setting for these movie gangsters, who fought dirty, had no use for the old ceremonies, and wore flashy suits and aviator shades.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of ceremony
Noun
  • The food obsessions, fears and even nightmares went away, but so too did Jasper’s grasp of the seriousness of his condition.
    — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Mandell never let his artistic seriousness stand in the way of his silliness.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of seriousness
Noun
  • On White Cane Awareness Day, an annual observance celebrating the achievements and independence of visually impaired individuals, Darnes and more than 50 other veterans received a free pair of Meta smart glasses.
    — La'Tasha Givens, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Dedicated to empowering Black Philadelphians Philadelphia Martyrs Day is an annual observance that pays homage to the five Philadelphia men who fought for Black suffrage and were killed in the 1871 election.
    — Timothy Welbeck, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of observance

Browse Nearby Words

solemnities
solemnity
solemnize
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Cite this Entry

“Solemnity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solemnity. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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