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

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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 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 Most Indians were part of groups visiting the Lake Mansarovar and Mount Kailash in Tibet, holy pilgrimage sites for Hindus. — Reuters, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026 Many of the dozens missing in its environs were foreign nationals, chiefly Indian or Indian-origin pilgrims who were returning from, or preparing to make, the journey further into Tibet to Mount Kailash, a holy site for Hindus and Buddhists. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026 Luis and Mónica encouraged their daughters to play instruments, signing them up for piano lessons, which was going swimmingly until the holy grip of Rock Band fully took hold. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 27 Aug. 2026 The first few generations of holy men who led Idaho’s congregations died, and no one took their place. — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 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
  • Preachers and patricians constantly warned that, if allowed to live unchecked in the city, Jews would ‘infect’ the Christian faithful, poisoning the minds of the pious and stealing souls away from salvation.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Romania is one of the most pious countries in the European Union, with around 85% of the population identifying as religious.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of pious
Adjective
  • Both the house and its environment have, as a result, led to intense research into the field of sacred geometry, including naturally occurring numerical patterns such as the Fibonacci sequence and golden ratio.
    — Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Zhang Ding, a key figure in Chinese contemporary art, contributes a piece composed of golden light panels that casts an almost sacred glow, illuminating transparent glass humanoid heads with gemstone-like surfaces.
    — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of sacred
Adjective
  • There’s a king bed with a divine wooden headboard and plush white linens.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In other words, in Herzog’s vision, they’re touched by something profound, perhaps divine.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of divine
Adjective
  • Netanyahu’s government, the most ultranationalist and religious in Israel’s history, has presided over a surge of settlement construction in the West Bank.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Netanyahu’s government is the most ultranationalist and religious in Israel’s history.
    — Ibrahim Hazboun, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of religious
Adjective
  • Paintings, liturgical objects and the clothes of a notable 18th century Spanish count were among the other items removed from the monastery.
    — Angela Charlton, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of liturgical
Adjective
  • Where the Europeans see a battle to be won, and even the other Sherpa see a terrifying sacred force, Tenzing sees a heavenly mother — smiling down on him since childhood, bearing witness to his heartbreaks in adulthood, calling him now to come home.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Luzzi’s heavenly version is layered with almond, fig, honey and bavaroise.
    — Ann Lee, TheWeek, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of heavenly
Adjective
  • Johnny Cash was a lot of things — devout Christian, country superstar, anti-Vietnam activist, variety show host.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The religious approach appealed to devout Catholics such as Velazquez, an immigrant from Mexico who spent three decades without status in the country, cutting hair from her home and cleaning houses when business was slow.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of devout
Adjective
  • Thai Buddhists fill a container with blessed water, which is attached to a pulley that leads to the upper part of the chedi.
    — Brooke Schedneck, The Conversation, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Once, in the blessed era before the 24/7 news cycle and the omnipresence of social media, there was a lull in the months after the primary, with campaign activities picking back up around Labor Day.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of blessed

Phrases Containing holy

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hols
holy
holy day
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Cite this Entry

“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holy. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on holy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about holy

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