as in dissent
departure from a generally accepted theory, opinion, or practice
the heresy of asserting that Shakespeare was not a great writer
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Recent Examples of heresy
She was found guilty of heresy and sorcery in 1441.
—
Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
In this way, Paul turned the heresy of a tiny sect of Messianic Jews into the dominant religious and cultural architecture of the West for the next couple of thousand years.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Any challenge to gun rights was immediate heresy, disqualifying in any measure.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
When something is so embedded in our routines, even a small shift can feel like heresy.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heresy
Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
In this way, Paul turned the heresy of a tiny sect of Messianic Jews into the dominant religious and cultural architecture of the West for the next couple of thousand years.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Any challenge to gun rights was immediate heresy, disqualifying in any measure.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 26 Jan. 2026
When something is so embedded in our routines, even a small shift can feel like heresy.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heresy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heresy
Noun
-
Following anti-government protests in 2019, Beijing imposed a national security law that has virtually silenced all dissent.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
-
War complicates the domestic front, turning any dissent into treason.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
Noun
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But Dhillon’s apparent moderation during that time might also be read as a different way of communicating the same underlying heterodoxy from her Review days.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Shalom Auslander’s literary career has been built on equal parts comedy, heterodoxy and self-loathing.—
Mark Athitakis,
Washington Post,
25 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Heresy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heresy. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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