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 platitude
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of homily
Pope Leo also called on Acutis’s legacy in a homily at the Jubilee of Young People this summer.
—
Kate Cray, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2025
The funeral itself was a sober affair, with Abbot Placid Solari — a Benedictine monk, Abbot of Belmont Abbey and Chancellor of Belmont Abbey College — providing the homily.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2025
In the movie Conclave, Cardinal Lawrence (played by Ralph Fiennes) delivers a homily to begin the ancient process of picking a new Pope.
—Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes.com, 29 May 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
See All Example Sentences for homily
Kate Cray, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2025
The funeral itself was a sober affair, with Abbot Placid Solari — a Benedictine monk, Abbot of Belmont Abbey and Chancellor of Belmont Abbey College — providing the homily.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2025
In the movie Conclave, Cardinal Lawrence (played by Ralph Fiennes) delivers a homily to begin the ancient process of picking a new Pope.
—Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes.com, 29 May 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
See All Example Sentences for homily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for homily
Noun
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On Shabbat, the Acheinu, a prayer for liberating those held in captivity, was recited from the bimah, an elevated platform where sermons are often delivered.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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And as with any sermon, there is a lesson to impart.—
Jazmine Hughes,
Allure,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Donovan reiterated a series of platitudes that haven’t changed during his time with the Bulls.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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For Hankins-Biggers and her team, espousing empty platitudes isn’t enough.—
Essence,
Essence,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The bromide has it that a liberal is a person who won’t take his own side in an argument.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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In Cuba today, Marxist bromides serve as nothing more than rhetorical cover for corruption.—
Quico Toro,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The banality of her words about Ma Binney was terrible.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
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The scale and range of Dominique Pelicot’s partners in crime showed the terrible banality of their acts, and how easily society had allowed them.—
Gaby Wood,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The decal features a common saying in intelligence circles.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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More than a saying, pura vida is a guiding philosophy that honors simplicity and sustainability, and celebrates the deep-rooted connection between people and their environment.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But, travel experts say, that truism doesn't apply during this tumultuous period.—
ANDREA SACHS THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
29 Mar. 2026
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That is a truism of NFL free agency.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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What does the phrase squeaky bum time, the racehorse Devon Loch, and the Portuguese proverb ‘morrer na prais’ all have in common?—
Ian Irving,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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The rooms The old Japanese proverb ‘*kachou fuugetsu’—*which translates as ‘flower, bird, wind, moon’ evoking a sense of the transient beauty of nature—is a key concept at the hotel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Steeped in international cinema, Haghighi has since taken familiar tropes, forms, and genres and bent them in new directions.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Episode 1, for example, comes over as a political thriller with horror tropes where Prime Minister Adolfo Saúrez battles in 1976 to persuade – or bribe – a Francoist parliament to vote itself out of existence.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Homily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/homily. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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