1
as in sermon
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
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2
as in cliche
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
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Recent Examples of homily
The new pope, born Robert Francis Prevost in Dolton, Ill., spoke in Spanish, Italian and English during the homily.
—
Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 9 May 2025
In his homily to the crowd of some 200,000 gathered for his Mass, the pope set out a vision of leadership based on humility and conciliation rather than on top-down intervention.
—Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2025
In his homily during his inauguration Mass on Oct. 22, 1978, Pope John Paul II noted that popes had been crowned in the past, but said the focus should be elsewhere.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 18 May 2025
In his homily, Pope Leo at his inaugural mass, called for peace in Ukraine and of course Gaza as well.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for homily
Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 9 May 2025
In his homily to the crowd of some 200,000 gathered for his Mass, the pope set out a vision of leadership based on humility and conciliation rather than on top-down intervention.
—Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2025
In his homily during his inauguration Mass on Oct. 22, 1978, Pope John Paul II noted that popes had been crowned in the past, but said the focus should be elsewhere.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 18 May 2025
In his homily, Pope Leo at his inaugural mass, called for peace in Ukraine and of course Gaza as well.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for homily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for homily
Noun
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Preachers delivered sermons paying tribute to the fallen leader, which were then reprinted as pamphlets.—
Eliza McGraw,
Smithsonian Magazine,
17 June 2025
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People would instead gather in churches to hear sermons focused on the holiday’s importance or host intimate house parties where community mobilization and progress were key topics of discussion.—
Martie Bowser,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Noun
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Answers vary from obvious to obscure, some citing culture or clutch performances, while others cling to cliches that this club is turning into truths.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
26 June 2025
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To fall back on one of horror marketing’s favorite cliches, the man has a twisted mind.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
26 June 2025
Noun
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Starting with fawning platitudes, the relationship between the world's richest man and the world's most powerful man has come to an acrimonious end.—
Dan Perry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 June 2025
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Too often people send graduates out into the world with platitudes and lofty thoughts.—
Harry Kraemer,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Noun
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His trite bromides are typical of showbiz cretins struggling to appear principled.—
Armond White,
National Review,
28 May 2025
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The state uses a three-drug protocol of etomidate, rocuronium bromide and potassium acetate.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
Noun
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Over hard hip-hop beats and snarling guitar distortion, Gordon stammered about daily banalities, reframing modern life as a psychological war zone.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2025
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So much of modern football discourse is taken up with banality, immaturity, petty insults, utterly vapid arguments about the size of rival clubs, or fanbases, or the length of trophy droughts.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Noun
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Sunlight, as the saying goes, is the best disinfectant.—
Tom Blakely,
Boston Herald,
27 June 2025
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The better version of this saying is to iterate fast.—
Abdo Riani,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
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The notion that Trump is the wrong answer to the right question has become something of a truism for liberals.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
23 June 2025
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With Section 899, Republicans are trying to test the truism about two wrongs not making a right.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Noun
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The Giants have one of the least-talented and most expensive offensive lines in the entire NFL There's an old NFL proverb that suggests games are won and lost in the trenches.—
Geoffrey Knox,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
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Nobody plots against anyone, but nobody invokes ancient proverbs, either.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Homily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/homily. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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