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
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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
On a holy holiday, the Muslim Community Center of Chicago overflows with the faithful.
—
Noel Brennan, CBS News, 27 May 2026
But Agnes has had enough of Gilead’s half-truths and holy posturing.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026
This month, many of them are turning to Tarteel during Hajj and the holy month of Dhul Hijjah.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 26 May 2026
The fact that any Iranians are being allowed this year, despite the waves of drones and missiles fired at the country since late February, reaffirms Riyadh’s policy of not politicizing its guardianship of Islam’s holiest sites.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for holy
Noel Brennan, CBS News, 27 May 2026
But Agnes has had enough of Gilead’s half-truths and holy posturing.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026
This month, many of them are turning to Tarteel during Hajj and the holy month of Dhul Hijjah.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 26 May 2026
The fact that any Iranians are being allowed this year, despite the waves of drones and missiles fired at the country since late February, reaffirms Riyadh’s policy of not politicizing its guardianship of Islam’s holiest sites.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for holy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holy
Adjective
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In Wake-Keeper (2026), a roughly four-by-five-foot canvas, a pious man draped in the red cloth of traditional Ghanaian funeral attire sits on a stool with his hands clasped, his body facing the left side of the frame.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
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The aim wasn’t to make the chatbot Bible-thumping or pious.—
Chris Stokel-Walker,
Scientific American,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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The Midwest is home to the history of sophisticated Indigenous villages and sacred landscapes.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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Moreover, Christian humanists believe the sacred-secular divide that many Christians embrace is not just artificial but profoundly misguided.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
The pineapple is just so moreish, the slight tang with sweetness on that pastry is just divine.—
Julie Lin,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 June 2026
-
In the middle ages, truth was imposed from on high by divine authority, backed by coercion and violence if necessary.—
Jeffrey Rosen,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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For modern scholars of religious and social history, cheese is not the most exciting part of this discovery.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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The neighborhood is near major religious sites Abu Diab’s neighborhood, al-Bustan, extends through a valley just outside the Old City, with the dome of the Al-Aqsa Mosque visible above the towering walls.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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The Vatican authorized Esperanto for liturgical use decades ago, and Radio Vaticana still publishes news and papal updates in Esperanto online three times a week.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
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Leo presided over the service sitting off to the side of the altar on a white throne, wearing his formal red cape and liturgical stole and praying with a Rosary in his hands.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Blue chrome powder takes this dreamy look into heavenly territory.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
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My Costa Rican Hammam Experience included a vigorous scrub-down on a marble slab in the steamy hammam that used a Costa Rican coffee bean exfoliator for a local twist, followed by a heavenly massage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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She was controlled, socially formidable, devout, exacting and sometimes devastatingly funny.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
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Our father was a devout Christian and a devoted, loving, family man.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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As the dust settles on a campaign that began with high hopes and ended with a sense of blessed relief, here is The Athletic’s end-of-season review.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
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On Good Friday, there was a Yankees Opening Day game played in the afternoon hours, which coincided with this most blessed holiday.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holy. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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