1
as in pious
showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue
the holy monk spent many hours on his knees in prayer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sacred
set apart or worthy of veneration by association with God
the Torah contains the holy writings of Judaism
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3
as in divine
of, relating to, or being God
the Holy Trinity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in pure
not to be violated, criticized, or tampered with
the hour every Saturday she listens to her radio program is holy and you'd better not make her miss it
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of holy
In Catholicism, veneration is a showing of respect for saints, and their holy lives led with virtue.
—
Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 1 Oct. 2025
In 2016, at least $4,000 in cash donations were stolen from the ICM after the mosque's celebration of Eid al-Fitr, a holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
—Angele Latham, Nashville Tennessean, 26 Sep. 2025
Wahlberg plays a holy fool in Boogie Nights, our naïve but well-endowed guide through the heyday of theatrical pornography and its decline into something cheaper and tawdrier courtesy of the triumph of VHS.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
That’s the holy trinity of the liberal tradition.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for holy
Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 1 Oct. 2025
In 2016, at least $4,000 in cash donations were stolen from the ICM after the mosque's celebration of Eid al-Fitr, a holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
—Angele Latham, Nashville Tennessean, 26 Sep. 2025
Wahlberg plays a holy fool in Boogie Nights, our naïve but well-endowed guide through the heyday of theatrical pornography and its decline into something cheaper and tawdrier courtesy of the triumph of VHS.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
That’s the holy trinity of the liberal tradition.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for holy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holy
Adjective
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According to Singh, Bishnoi has cultivated the public persona of a pious man dedicated to God and justice.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
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The vast majority of the crowd knew the lyrics and sang along, with some of the particularly pious raising their hands in prayer.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This rich resin is ancient yet modern, sacred yet sensual.—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
16 Oct. 2025
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For those who treat their java ritual as a sacred chemistry experiment, the Fellow Tally Pro Precision scale, which has three modes for perfect proportions, is basically like having your own café.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The French duo that made distortion divine and disco dangerous is back on American soil.—
Alma Rota,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
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Theosophy, or divine wisdom, was a progenitor of the New Age movement of the 20th century.—
Madison Beveridge,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Not long after the accident, Thurlow had a religious awakening.—
Andy Kroll,
New Yorker,
17 Oct. 2025
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Kuelap Fortress, considered the Machu Picchu of the north, is a striking wonder perched on top of a cliff that likely served as a religious center.—
Jen Richt,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This dish is a heavenly mishmash between creamy, decadent risotto and jambalaya.—
Marianne Williams,
Southern Living,
12 Oct. 2025
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Guests will do a double-take at this piece that looks like something out of a heavenly boutique hotel.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Sister Jean was born Delores Bertha Schmidt in 1919 and grew up in a devout Catholic family in San Francisco.—
NPR,
NPR,
10 Oct. 2025
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The London audience — which included Greta Gerwig and Andrew Lloyd Webber — couldn’t stop laughing throughout the two-hour crime comedy, which follows Blanc latest case, this time revolving around a charismatic priest, Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, and his devout congregation.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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You're blessed, very blessed, very fortunate.—
Senior Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
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Meyers, who graciously agreed to an Evite for the blessed event, then suggested Swift send the invites in a picture frame, since people will probably frame it up anyway.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That Maestro screening featured the vociferous participation of Leonard Bernstein’s surviving family members, as well as Cooper himself watching silently from the audience (the strike prevented him from doing more), a perfect companion to Cooper’s alternately reverent and over-the-top biopic.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
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The atmosphere is reverent and energized, with attendees standing in collective praise hours before the formal program begins.—
Amanda Castro
Mandy Taheri
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holy. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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