1
as in adherences
the following of a custom, rule, or law
the observance of this family tradition would make your grandmother very happy observance of the smoking ban in public buildings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rituals
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of observances
European migrants brought festivals such as Samhain and other observances of mortality to North America.
—
George Petras, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
Conference speakers remembered Kirk and incorporated the activist's memory in religious observances.
—Liam Adams, Nashville Tennessean, 20 Sep. 2025
George Petras, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
Conference speakers remembered Kirk and incorporated the activist's memory in religious observances.
—Liam Adams, Nashville Tennessean, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for observances
Noun
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Living Well, Personified THE WELL Coconut Grove encourages slower transitions, moments of pause, and daily rituals that nourish residents holistically.—
The Well Coconut Grove,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
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Instead, the emphasis was placed on its lore and rituals as well as the Sphinx-like decision making of the show’s creator, showrunner, and executive producer, Lorne Michaels.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Tye, the Horace White Professor of Physics Emeritus, used these observations to update models involving the cosmological constant, a concept introduced by Albert Einstein over a century ago.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Oct. 2025
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The observations detected a puzzling event as the planet transitioned from a steady accretion rate in April and May to a burst of growth between June and August.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Emmy nominee Sabrina Impacciatore, who plays Esmeralda Grand, the brash (and hilarious) managing editor of the Toledo Truth Teller, will vie for awards consideration for the upcoming fall ceremonies, and the 2026 Emmys, in the lead actress comedy categories, revealed to Variety exclusively.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
29 Sep. 2025
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Wedding experts have noted a trend among modern brides who are moving away from traditional norms and making more daring statements with their dresses and ceremonies.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Other tools found in the gravesites appear to be brand new and were buried with the dead during funerary rites.—
Sarah Durn,
Popular Science,
11 Sep. 2025
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The film begins with our protagonist, Ahmed, carrying out his late father’s funeral rites while verses are read from an ancient Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Observances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/observances. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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