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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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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The aim wasn’t to make the chatbot Bible-thumping or pious.—
Chris Stokel-Walker,
Scientific American,
26 May 2026
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Maria, austere and deeply pious, runs the business with an iron hand, obsessed with making the family’s origins forgotten.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Plus, student sections are a sacred tradition in college football.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
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Hazardous waste, air pollution, damage to sacred cultural sites and water and energy consumption are real concerns with lithium extraction.—
Daniela Flores,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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The spa is pretty divine, and includes a European-style thalassotherapy spa.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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Powerful religious leaders described the epidemic as divine punishment.—
Christina Ray Stanton,
Time,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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Hampshire’s police and crime commissioner has called for a review of religious exemptions on the carrying of knives in public after the fatal stabbing of Henry Nowak last December.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
3 June 2026
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The site offers a rare window into the religious and cultural beliefs of the ancient Lycian people, about whom relatively little is known — a mystery that only deepens its appeal.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
3 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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His Baptist parents raised him in the church, and his mother was particularly devout.—
Rachel Cole,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 May 2026
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As devout Sunni Muslims, many Uyghur fighters sympathized with the largely Sunni Islamist militias, especially those that became part of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an alliance of militia groups, including Jabhat al-Nusra, which until 2016 was affiliated with al-Qaida.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
17 May 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 6 Jun. 2026.
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