holy

adjective

ˈhō-lē How to pronounce holy (audio)
Definition of holynext
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 The ingredients are listed as organic coconut water, organic jasmine tea, organic raw honey, organic holy basil, organic anise hyssop, organic green cardamom, organic white grape juice and organic coconut milk. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 12 July 2026 The late supreme leader was laid to rest at the shrine of Imam Reza, Iran’s holiest Shia Muslim site on Thursday, marking the end of six days of public mourning ceremonies. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 11 July 2026 There, devotees annually re-enact Christianity’s holiest week in an amateur performance that culminates with the crucifixion of some participants. — H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 10 July 2026 Adaptogens are among the original neurocosmetics, leaning on botanical ingredients like ashwagandha, rhodiola, ginseng, and holy basil to see skin through stressful times. — Deanna Pai, Vogue, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for holy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holy
  1. pious
  2. sacred
  3. divine
  4. religious
  5. liturgical
  6. heavenly
  7. devout
  8. blessed
Adjective
  • Philemon and Baucis, a pious Phrygian couple, hospitably received the disguised Zeus and Hermes after their richer neighbors had refused to do so.
    — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 July 2026
  • This was 1872, and the pious (and patronizing) commentators of the time muttered that Damien’s unvarnished personality was due to his simple farm upbringing in rural Belgium.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Definition of pious
Adjective
  • As a voracious reader, few places are as sacred to me as in bed at night with my book light and my book and a good bookmark is also a must-have.
    — Caroline Reilly, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • But the Deadheads also evince an honest yearning for something that’s tribal, primitive, sacred, ancient, shamanic, ecstatic.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 July 2026
Definition of sacred
Adjective
  • Originating from oral traditions, *The Odyssey* offers timeless guidance, paralleling Old Testament narratives with themes of arduous journeys, divine intervention, and moral choices.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • As a divine presence, Athena represents a concept central to the film.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 July 2026
Definition of divine
Adjective
  • Shinto was formally separated from the state after World War II, but its traditions still reflect a broader history of religious and cultural influences.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • Otero Alcántara has a long history of incorporating the religious symbols into his artwork.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 19 July 2026
Definition of religious
Adjective
  • The Cupichs attended a parish where mass was celebrated in Latin (the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council were yet to come) but the sermons were spoken in Croatian.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
  • Alongside official ceremonies and liturgical events, Leo is expected to emphasize his concern for marginalized communities.
    — Tiago Ventura, Time, 6 June 2026
Definition of liturgical
Adjective
  • The actress, 29, wore a heavenly floor-length white gown sourced from French fashion house Matières Fécales to the red carpet at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on Tuesday, July 14.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
  • By the end of the movie, even something as natural as daylight has become suffused with a heavenly glow, and the beads of sweat on a dying body sparkle with a beauty that Emily had never been able to find anywhere else in her tragedy of a life.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 June 2026
Definition of heavenly
Adjective
  • While Auguste and two of Damien’s older sisters, Eugenie and Pauline, were being prepared for religious service by devout Anne-Catherine, Frans wanted Jozef for the farm.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • The film unfolds in a devout fishing community on Malaysia’s East Coast, following two young lovers, Jani and Melur, whose plans for the future are upended by an unplanned pregnancy, poverty and addiction, pushing Jani toward the drug trade.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 July 2026
Definition of devout
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
Definition of blessed

Phrases Containing holy

Browse Nearby Words

hols
holy
holy day
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holy. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on holy

Nglish: Translation of holy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about holy

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All