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 site is also considered holy by Jews, as well as Christians.
—
Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Art, resistance, and community, a holy trinity.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Warren fought like holy heck to play through the pain.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 1 June 2026
More deeply, San Diego’s Muslims have been puzzling over the roots of the hatred that sent two young men into a holy place with the intent to commit mass murder.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for holy
Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Art, resistance, and community, a holy trinity.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Warren fought like holy heck to play through the pain.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 1 June 2026
More deeply, San Diego’s Muslims have been puzzling over the roots of the hatred that sent two young men into a holy place with the intent to commit mass murder.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for holy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holy
Adjective
-
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
-
The aim wasn’t to make the chatbot Bible-thumping or pious.—
Chris Stokel-Walker,
Scientific American,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Midwest is home to the history of sophisticated Indigenous villages and sacred landscapes.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Firm, ripe peaches and nectarines, as well as whichever other stone fruits catch your eye, are heavenly in this easy slab pie that asks only 20 minutes of your active time.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
-
Drive the heavenly Road to Hana with dozens of waterfalls, lush gardens, and breathtaking ocean views.—
Sharael Kolberg,
Travel + Leisure,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
She was controlled, socially formidable, devout, exacting and sometimes devastatingly funny.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
-
Our father was a devout Christian and a devoted, loving, family man.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
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 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
