SACRED Synonyms: 118 Similar and Opposite Words

sacred

adjective

ˈsā-krəd

Definition of sacred

as in holy

not to be violated, criticized, or tampered with the sacred trust that exists between elected officials and the electorate

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in divine

of, relating to, or being God a sacred name that must not be uttered in vain

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as in religious

of, relating to, or used in the practice or worship services of a religion a sacred chalice

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as in venerated

set apart or worthy of veneration by association with God the sacred bones of a saint

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as in venerable

deserving honor and respect especially by reason of age the alumni procession at graduation is one of the college's most sacred traditions, dating back over a hundred years

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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 sacred Once considered sacred, the Ilissos marked the southern border of Athens. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026 The church is home to a Marian shrine, a sacred place dedicated to the Virgin Mary. — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 19 July 2026 Japanese festivals often serve as ways for deities to be brought into the streets for sacred or ritual purposes while also bringing communities together in celebration. — ABC News, 19 July 2026 The statue is dragged via ropes by grunting Trojans before being lurched upright against a sacred temple, once again jostling those inside. — David MacK, CNN Money, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sacred

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sacred

Adjective

Alongside Laura Dern as paleobotanist Ellie Sattler and Jeff Goldblum as mathematician Ian Malcolm, Neill completed the holy trinity of protagonists in Steven Spielberg’s enduring blockbuster dinosaur adventure.

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 13 July 2026
The ingredients are listed as organic coconut water, organic jasmine tea, organic raw honey, organic holy basil, organic anise hyssop, organic green cardamom, organic white grape juice and organic coconut milk.

— Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 12 July 2026

Definition of holy

Adjective

Originating from oral traditions, *The Odyssey* offers timeless guidance, paralleling Old Testament narratives with themes of arduous journeys, divine intervention, and moral choices.

— Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
As a divine presence, Athena represents a concept central to the film.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 July 2026

Definition of divine

Adjective

Shinto was formally separated from the state after World War II, but its traditions still reflect a broader history of religious and cultural influences.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
Otero Alcántara has a long history of incorporating the religious symbols into his artwork.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 19 July 2026

Definition of religious

Adjective

On the night of June 15, a Russian drone directly hit the most venerated site for Ukraine’s majority Orthodox Christians, and indeed for much of Eastern Christendom.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 26 June 2026
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the landmark live release, Frampton recounts his history in bands The Herd and Humble Pie before striking stadium-sellout gold as a solo star with venerated guitar chops and an inventive talk box.

— Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 3 June 2026

Definition of venerated

Adjective

The venerable soul food restaurant is a tourist destination in its own right, with six dining rooms and capacity for 300 guests.

— Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 11 July 2026
This second installment represents the venerable anthology franchise’s height of humor, invention, and variety.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026

Definition of venerable

Adjective

The actress, 29, wore a heavenly floor-length white gown sourced from French fashion house Matières Fécales to the red carpet at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on Tuesday, July 14.

— Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
By the end of the movie, even something as natural as daylight has become suffused with a heavenly glow, and the beads of sweat on a dying body sparkle with a beauty that Emily had never been able to find anywhere else in her tragedy of a life.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 June 2026

Definition of heavenly

Adjective

In his work, Hujar returned again and again to the spiritual life of his sitters—an invisible presence in his images.

— Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
The principal of my Christian high school regularly attributed world happenings—terrorist attacks, presidents elected or not elected, the price of gas—to unseen spiritual warfare.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026

Definition of spiritual

Adjective

The Cupichs attended a parish where mass was celebrated in Latin (the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council were yet to come) but the sermons were spoken in Croatian.

— René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
Alongside official ceremonies and liturgical events, Leo is expected to emphasize his concern for marginalized communities.

— Tiago Ventura, Time, 6 June 2026