as in towers
a large, magnificent, or massive building
the company didn't want just a new office building—it demanded a cathedral that proclaimed its place among the giants of finance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 cathedrals
God appeared once, Christianity twice, and cathedrals, but not the Mother of Parliaments in London.
—
Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, capacity 100,077, is among college football's largest and most hallowed cathedrals.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Carved from porous tufa stone once covered by the sea, the four wine cathedrals are considered an engineering marvel.
—Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Gothic architecture, on the other hand, focused on height and light; despite being constructed from heavy stone, Gothic cathedrals seem to defy the laws of gravity.
—Stefanie Waldek, Architectural Digest, 9 Jan. 2026
The difference is that in stadiums, unlike in cathedrals, every inch of the space, and every sight line—not only to the field but also to the sponsors’ logos—is monetized.
—John Seabrook, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
The granite peaks that stood above us like stone cathedrals reached skyward past 8,600 feet.
—Will Rice, Outside, 13 Nov. 2025
Gothic cathedrals, art deco villas, vintage yellow trams, impeccably dressed signore, bright red Negronis glinting in the sun—these are some of the most classic symbols of Milan, but there’s a whole other side to the city, one that’s contemporary, cosmopolitan, and just plain cool.
—Laura Itzkowitz, AFAR Media, 3 Oct. 2025
There are marching bands performing it and choirs singing it in cathedrals in Europe.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2025
Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, capacity 100,077, is among college football's largest and most hallowed cathedrals.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Carved from porous tufa stone once covered by the sea, the four wine cathedrals are considered an engineering marvel.
—Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Gothic architecture, on the other hand, focused on height and light; despite being constructed from heavy stone, Gothic cathedrals seem to defy the laws of gravity.
—Stefanie Waldek, Architectural Digest, 9 Jan. 2026
The difference is that in stadiums, unlike in cathedrals, every inch of the space, and every sight line—not only to the field but also to the sponsors’ logos—is monetized.
—John Seabrook, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
The granite peaks that stood above us like stone cathedrals reached skyward past 8,600 feet.
—Will Rice, Outside, 13 Nov. 2025
Gothic cathedrals, art deco villas, vintage yellow trams, impeccably dressed signore, bright red Negronis glinting in the sun—these are some of the most classic symbols of Milan, but there’s a whole other side to the city, one that’s contemporary, cosmopolitan, and just plain cool.
—Laura Itzkowitz, AFAR Media, 3 Oct. 2025
There are marching bands performing it and choirs singing it in cathedrals in Europe.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cathedrals
Noun
-
In 2024, the unfinished towers became a major downtown eyesore after graffiti vandals covered at least 25 floors, followed by dangerous stunts including base jumping that were captured on video and widely shared on social media.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Base jumpers parachuted from its heights and a performance artist recorded himself teetering along a 1-inch-wide slackline strung between two of the derelict properties’ 40-story towers.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Every corner of the island bears witness to physical remnants of the seven nations whose flags once crowned its edifices, giving visitors the impression of exploring a living history book still intact.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Time captive within the grand edifices of the past, parading on the stage of memory.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The videos also testify to Italy’s reverence for the design house, giving it access to palaces and monuments normally closed to commercial activity.—
Jane Wooldridge,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Moreover, Austria offers, as mentioned, an exceptional variety of locations — from breathtaking Alpine landscapes to historic cities, stunning architecture both historical and contemporary, as well as castles and palaces.—
Ed Meza,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Jetavanaramaya, a colossal fourth-century Sri Lankan monument, was once among the world’s largest structures.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Private capital, global competition, and commercial data scale are advancing AI at a pace that traditional government R&D structures cannot easily replicate.—
Barbara Booth,
CNBC,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cathedrals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cathedrals. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
