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
Pope Leo ended his first homily by talking about his new role as the leader of a flock of over 1 billion Catholics, and his most profound prayer.
—
Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
Pope Leo began his first homily in English: 📹Watch ; 🔎Read his homily
Cheers at the end of Mass: Children in the Sistine Chapel choir applauded him at the end of Mass.
—Cate Martel, The Hill, 9 May 2025
But Parolin’s sceptics point to his lack of experience working at the church’s grassroots and his flat delivery of a homily at a Mass for around 200,000 young people in St Peter’s Square, the day after Francis’ funeral.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 2 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
Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
Pope Leo began his first homily in English: 📹Watch ; 🔎Read his homily
Cheers at the end of Mass: Children in the Sistine Chapel choir applauded him at the end of Mass.
—Cate Martel, The Hill, 9 May 2025
But Parolin’s sceptics point to his lack of experience working at the church’s grassroots and his flat delivery of a homily at a Mass for around 200,000 young people in St Peter’s Square, the day after Francis’ funeral.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 2 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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The reality is for the Benedictine Class of 24 and the millions of women watching, Harrison Butker delivered a sermon on women’s limitations.—
Gemma Allen,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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As for the general thrust of his sermons?—
Theoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Awarded a second-half penalty against Bremen, Patrik Schick and Exequiel Palacios squabbled over who should take it, in a cliche of team dysfunction.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
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Of course, some cliches are nothing but lazy thinking.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The accounts team logs in right on time, and the stupid dance of platitudes that precedes every meeting at every company around the world begins.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
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Surreal flashbacks show us how Teddy’s ill mom (Alicia Silverstone) suffered at the hands of Michelle’s company, how the empty corporate platitudes offered in exchange for his family’s horror merely confirmed his belief that there was more to what was being said and what had been done.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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However, swapping out classic sodium chloride for sodium bromide is a solid way to give yourself acne, involuntary muscle spasms, and paranoid psychosis.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
14 Aug. 2025
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Bromism, or high levels of bromide, was considered after a lab report and consultation with poison control, the report said.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Bigelow’s work is procedural to its core, and that this film is a speculative what-if is made all the more horrifying because of its banality.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
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Online, fans excoriated the bright lights and banality of the revamp so aggressively that the company’s chief marketing officer paid the Reddit forum a visit to quell concerns.—
Katherine Laidlaw,
HubSpot,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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With $15 and a short saying, Missourians can buy custom tags for their car or truck.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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There is a saying that each time memory is recalled and re-told the memory is replaced by the memory of the memory.—
Vineer Bhansali,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There is a truism that a good place to live is a good place to visit—and that relationship often creates a virtuous cycle of development.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Aug. 2025
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The 2025 session put a bit of a wrinkle in that truism.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Noun
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Instead, Jeffrey Gahler has turned budget hearings into a sideshow by attacking McCord for scribbling a French version of a familiar proverb during an April meeting.—
Aegis reader commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Aug. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Homily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/homily. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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