heathen 1 of 2

heathen

2 of 2

noun

1
as in pagan
a person who does not worship the God of the Bible a study of the beliefs and practices of ancient heathens

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in primitive
an uncivilized person European colonizers, who considered the New World peoples to be heathens, forced them to conform to European ways

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 heathen
Adjective
Some of my brethren and sis-tren (sis-tren?) in the heathen media tribe get all riled up if a player or coach won’t speak to them. Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 30 May 2019 Each essay will identify a contemporary issue, discuss it through the lens of heathen myths, and suggest a solution based on heathen ideals. Sigal Samuel, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2017
Noun
That behavior was induced by Balaam, the heathen prophet hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Jews. Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2022 To a heathen media person, Votto is the gift that keeps on giving. Paul Daugherty, The Enquirer, 18 Aug. 2021 See All Example Sentences for heathen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heathen
Adjective
  • Bailey plays half-elf ranger Vex, O’Brien is her twin brother Vax, Willingham is the lovable barbarian Grog, Johnson is the holy gnome cleric Pike, Jaffe is the royal gunslinger Percy, Ray is magical half-elf druid Keyleth and Riegel is the raunchy gnome bard Scanlan.
    Jordan Moreau, Variety, 24 July 2025
  • The economy will not thrive on backward, barbarian technologies and our babies will suffer from the burden of debt, bad air and blackouts.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Church officials decided to recognize Dec. 25 as his birthday, probably to coincide with the date of pagan festivals in an attempt to get pagans to accept Christianity as the official religion.
    Atlanta Life, ajc, 10 Nov. 2017
  • While plague stalks the land, paranoid peasants swap cautionary folk tales about evil spirits, pagans, Jews and other outsiders.
    Stephen Dalton, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2017
Noun
  • Burlington Antique Show Browse more than 200 dealers of antiques, vintage jewelry, primitives, garden and architectural elements, mid-century collectibles, memorabilia, Americana and retro/vintage furniture at this monthly outdoor antique market.
    Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 14 Aug. 2024
  • It can be used to achieve a lot of other cryptographic primitives.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 1 Aug. 2024
Adjective
  • In interviews, Candy, who struggled with his weight for much of his life, had to deal with the press making rude comments about his size.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
  • This question becomes thornier once Dorotea visits Rocca in prison, finding her rude and abrasive though not irrational.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This thrilling prequel stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa and Alyla Browne as young Furiosa, who is abducted by the savage warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) — leader of the Biker Horde — and spends the next decade in captivity plotting her revenge and escape.
    Charlotte Walsh, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • There was a time when loving someone of the wrong gender could result in harassment, arrest or a savage beating.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • July through September brings the most color, and wild sunflowers are well-known for growing here.
    Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
  • John Mitani is a professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Michigan, whose studies over 45 years have included wild chimpanzees in Uganda and Tanzania; gibbons and orangutans in Indonesia, gorillas in Rwanda, and bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
    Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heathen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heathen. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on heathen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!