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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 holy
He’ll be buried there at the Imam Reza Shrine, considered the holiest place among Shiite devotees.
—
Munir Ahmed, Fortune, 11 June 2026
The Azteca stadium — Mexico’s most iconic sporting venue and a holy site for football fans around the globe — reopened in March after two years of renovation work.
—Jack Lang, New York Times, 11 June 2026
In addition to sweet basil, there are many varieties of basil, including Thai, lemon, holy, opal, and spicy globe, and lemon basil, which offer exciting flavor differences.
—Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 June 2026
It is considered holy by Judaism, Islam and Christianity and home to key religious sites like the Western Wall, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
—Dan Mangan,emma Graham,hugh Leask,kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for holy
Munir Ahmed, Fortune, 11 June 2026
The Azteca stadium — Mexico’s most iconic sporting venue and a holy site for football fans around the globe — reopened in March after two years of renovation work.
—Jack Lang, New York Times, 11 June 2026
In addition to sweet basil, there are many varieties of basil, including Thai, lemon, holy, opal, and spicy globe, and lemon basil, which offer exciting flavor differences.
—Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 June 2026
It is considered holy by Judaism, Islam and Christianity and home to key religious sites like the Western Wall, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
—Dan Mangan,emma Graham,hugh Leask,kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for holy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holy
Adjective
-
However, this distinction did more than pit pious Americans against an atheist enemy.—
David Williamson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
At best, Venus in Leo reminds us that our pleasure is sacred, and self-confidence is attractive.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
-
The Skinnylicious menu is a sacred text and could be the key to world peace, along with fast food, tailgating, and megastores — all things that are a part of everyday American life but are being fully embraced by tourists visiting for the first time.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
At the time, many people saw disasters mainly as acts of divine punishment.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
15 June 2026
-
Beauty, then, arises from the pain and struggle of experiencing oneself as a site of divine truancy, and ugly is that which pretends to be directly equivalent to the soul, God, etc.—
Esther Yi,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
The former football player explained that his religious upbringing and internal struggle with his sexuality both contributed to his decision to remain a virgin.—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
-
But, of course, as some of you may be thinking, nothing causes more pain than the desire for pleasure—a fact attested to by countless love songs and religious texts.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
Don’t even pay much attention to the heavenly pop melody.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
-
These heavenly squares are then baked in the oven until golden, crispy brown.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
That could convert even devout casuals.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
The woman, a devout Catholic, escaped after kicking Griffiths and striking him with a lamp, according to the statement.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
That lesson came back to me recently during the 33rd yahrzeit of my mother, Charlotte (Lazar) Gildin, of blessed memory.—
Norman B. Gildin,
Sun Sentinel,
9 June 2026
-
Don’t miss the blessed selection of vermouth and sherry.—
Virginia Miller,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holy. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
