as in pulpits
a table or place which serves as a center of worship or ritual
There was a small altar at the front of the room with candles on it.
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Recent Examples of altars
There will be entertainment, community ofrendas (altars), catrina outfit contest, face painting, mask making and raffle prizes.
—
Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
During the holiday, many families in this Mayan region prepare elaborate traditional dishes for the return of their ancestors (in addition to participating in evening processions and setting up ofrendas, temporary altars, in their homes).
—Sarah Buder, AFAR Media, 8 Oct. 2025
From the marigolds and copal on Mexico’s Día de Muertos altars, to rum offerings to the orishas in Afro-Caribbean traditions, to pachamama rituals that return food to the soil in gratitude in the Andean region, this is a time of conversation between the living and the dead.
—Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025
On this day, families create special ofrendas (altars), decorate gravesites, and offer toys, sweets or other items that the children enjoyed in life.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 6 Oct. 2025
However, offerings like these were usually made to painted or sculpted deities, not to fire altars.
—Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 17 Sep. 2025
The altars are laden with baked goods, fruit and flowers.
—Carlie Kollath Wells, Axios, 19 Mar. 2025
Families, villages, and churches came together in gratitude, building altars laden with food in his honor.
—Cindy Salvato, Saveur, 19 Mar. 2025
The church houses one of the earliest organs in Europe as well as one of its most remarkable altars.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
During the holiday, many families in this Mayan region prepare elaborate traditional dishes for the return of their ancestors (in addition to participating in evening processions and setting up ofrendas, temporary altars, in their homes).
—Sarah Buder, AFAR Media, 8 Oct. 2025
From the marigolds and copal on Mexico’s Día de Muertos altars, to rum offerings to the orishas in Afro-Caribbean traditions, to pachamama rituals that return food to the soil in gratitude in the Andean region, this is a time of conversation between the living and the dead.
—Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 7 Oct. 2025
On this day, families create special ofrendas (altars), decorate gravesites, and offer toys, sweets or other items that the children enjoyed in life.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 6 Oct. 2025
However, offerings like these were usually made to painted or sculpted deities, not to fire altars.
—Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 17 Sep. 2025
The altars are laden with baked goods, fruit and flowers.
—Carlie Kollath Wells, Axios, 19 Mar. 2025
Families, villages, and churches came together in gratitude, building altars laden with food in his honor.
—Cindy Salvato, Saveur, 19 Mar. 2025
The church houses one of the earliest organs in Europe as well as one of its most remarkable altars.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for altars
pulpits
Noun
-
Hillsides and fields that were once mosaics of blue phlox, wood poppies and Jack-in-the-pulpits have become swaths of monochrome yellow.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
10 Sep. 2025
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Among that past ministry work was that of City of Refuge, a program administered by FBC Woodstock for pastors who vacated their pulpits due to burn out or disciplinary reasons.—
Liam Adams,
The Tennessean,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Altars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/altars. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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