homilies

plural of homily
1
as in sermons
a public speech usually by a member of the clergy for the purpose of giving moral guidance or uplift last Sunday's homily was about being kind to your neighbors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2

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 homilies No lectures, no homilies, no empty words. Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025 In his fiery homilies, the Monsignor seems to target one new congregation member per week, pushing for the victory of a walkout. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for homilies
Noun
  • With the colonies on the brink of collapse, the Reverend George Whitefield ignites the first Great Awakening, uniting an entire generation with his thundering and faithful sermons and proclamations of liberty.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Sam Vanderwall, one of six elders of the church, told the Idaho Statesman that Masiewicz handled the regular Sunday sermons.
    Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • New novels are rightly praised for breaking with traditional forms and criticized for turning to stale formulas and cliches.
    Nathaniel Moore September 10, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Just really not going to sit here and give some cliches.
    Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • My first true attempts at poetry were self-guided, painfully rhymed, drenched in abstractions and exhausted platitudes.
    Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
  • His answers, typically, differ by just a few words and a few platitudes.
    Noah White, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The mistake is writing off these sayings as coach speak.
    Daniel Popper, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Hats, t-shirts, jerseys, wristbands, belts, and much more featuring John Cena's logos and sayings are now available to fans.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There is an outright rejection of bromides that would give us some conclusion of reassurance.
    Richard Newby, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Incidents of such poisoning saw a sharp decline when the Food and Drug Administration phased out the use of bromides in pharmaceuticals between the mid 70s and late 1980s.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Reading Proverbs did not manage to enlighten me to the possibility that my parents’ rules were devised in my best interest.
    Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
  • In West African traditions, the drum serves as both a musical instrument and a talking messenger, transmitting proverbs, praises, and official announcements in a language that reinforces the chief’s authority and the community’s history.
    Felicia Appenteng, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Written by Noah Oppenheim, Bigelow’s real-time thriller about the banalities and actualities of a fictional-in-premise-only nuclear attack on the United States is Netflix’s best horse in the race at the Oscars this year.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Homilies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/homilies. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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!