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as in ritual
an oft-repeated action or series of actions performed in accordance with tradition or a set of rules some religions require very specific observances on holy days

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 observance Today, all 50 states and Washington, D.C., recognize Juneteenth in some form — either as a state holiday or a ceremonial day of observance, according to the Congressional Research Service. Andrea Wurzburger, People.com, 18 June 2025 The shrine has been designated as a pilgrimage site in the Diocese of Gary’s observance of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025. Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025 United States stock markets will be closed Friday, April 18, in observance of Good Friday. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 These campaigns included initiatives such as an online petition promoting the holiday’s observance launched in 2019 that amassed 1.6 million signatures. Timothy Welbeck, The Conversation, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for observance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for observance
Noun
  • Ninety-day mail order can boost adherence and cut abandonment rates by nearly 40%.
    John Samuels, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
  • Other projects demand a mash-up of genres to heighten rhythm, deepen thematic concerns, or reflect a character’s obsessions in a way that a strict adherence to one genre can’t.
    Matthew Clark Davison, Literary Hub, 25 July 2025
Noun
  • Designing an at-home spa experience in your own space transforms everyday routines into serene self-care rituals.
    Jené Luciani Sena , Caitlyn Martyn may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • What begins as a strange ritual quickly unravels into a waking nightmare.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The brains undergirding this contextual awareness now runs on Amazon’s Alexa Custom Assistant architecture.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 7 Aug. 2025
  • That study also included a separate group of participants who showed observable, external signs of awareness.
    Mariana Lenharo & Nature magazine, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • By meticulously evaluating the nuances of equity transactions, professionals can not only enhance the reliability of their valuation judgments but also ensure greater compliance with financial reporting and tax regulations.
    Meenal Aggarwal, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Because the performance isn’t just about mere compliance.
    Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Photographer Stephanie Naru recently shared pictures of Jess and Dave Tozer’s elopement, with an Instagram carousel full of sweet images from their May 2 private ceremony in St. Luke in the Fields garden in the West Village.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • Tour opening ceremony on June 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
    Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • As those markets mature, attention shifts toward practical applications that enhance business operations rather than create new trading vehicles.
    Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • By making the announcement of honorees himself, Trump is taking on the role of producer/showman, elevating the attention to the show, which has aired on CBS since its origin yet is hardly a ratings blockbuster.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Cold Atom Lab — Yui, working inside NASA's Destiny Laboratory, swapped out computer components for this apparatus which lowers atoms below the mean temperature of the universe, enabling the observation of atomic wave functions and quantum characteristics that cannot be reproduced on the ground.
    Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Pritzker responded to Colbert’s observation by joking that Illinois Democrats had asked kindergarten students to draw the map.
    Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • In addition to Ducasse’s culinary mastery, offering a cohesive experience that encompasses the liveried staff in period costumes and the ceremonial is part and parcel of the success of the banquet, according to Révah.
    Lily Templeton, WWD, 20 Feb. 2025
  • For those who missed the game, most of the Chiefs’ scores came in garbage time; the lopsided affair was 24-0 at halftime, and the Eagles’ first score was a ceremonial Jalen Hurts Tush Push.
    Jess Bryant, The Athletic, 10 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Observance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/observance. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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