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
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2
as in platitudes
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
a TV movie filled with the usual hokey homilies about people triumphing over life's adversities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of homilies
Cole’s canvases were synthetic constructions teeming with homilies.
—
Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
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
Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
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
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The show, which featured sermons and interviews, expanded her reach beyond her congregation and contributed to her emergence as a televangelist.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 May 2026
-
Even when the Lord’s name was left out, Stanley speeches sounded like sermons.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Taiwan Beneath all the platitudes, there are still some simmering tensions.—
Selina Wang,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
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The lyrics—elsewhere evocative—wilt dramatically, a slurry of platitudes.—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Readers share Mother's Day advice, funny sayings and expressions from moms.—
Letters to the Editor,
Washington Post,
8 May 2026
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Grandma may be the queen of nonsensical sayings, but Dad is certainly the king of cheesy jokes.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
2 May 2026
Noun
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While these songs might appear to be somewhat straightforward EBM that wear their politics on their latex sleeve, there’s a level of ambiguity at work that moves Kissing Luck Goodbye past its own bromides and into deeper artistic territory.—
Sadie Sartini Garner,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2026
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Disruption without construction Instructors burned out with the current situation endure a barrage of repetitive bromides.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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At this year’s Thorpe ceremony, too, Barron and Dennard — men of faith — bonded over Proverbs 27:17, talking about Barron’s future.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
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For nine months, Erasmus spent his short nights in a modest dorm and his long days in the print shop, expanding on his collection of proverbs Adagiorum chiliades while Aldus proofread, craftsman carefully laying sets of print and rolling paper through the press.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Nov. 2025
Noun
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One effect of this austerity and repression is to focus attention on Albee’s language, with its slippery banalities and barbs.—
Steven Winn,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
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As far back as the Victorian era, exchanging a few banalities was part of a veritable social code—a way of signaling both politeness and boundaries.—
Jeanne Ballion,
Vogue,
27 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The play isn’t subtle; the final sequence leans hard on truisms about addiction and trauma, which are affecting but overly explicit.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2026
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One of the truisms in the past for Team Canada at some best-on-best events is needing a few games to find its game.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The 4/4 pulse that runs through much of the album comes without any house or techno tropes.—
Will Lynch,
Pitchfork,
11 May 2026
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Gilbert — who seven years ago headlined this venue himself — smoked a cigar and dipped tobacco simultaneously for much of his set, which luxuriated in country-music-concert tropes.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Homilies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/homilies. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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