pagan 1 of 2

noun

ˈpā-gən How to pronounce pagan (audio)
Definition of pagannext
as in gentile
a person who does not worship the God of the Bible the temple was built by pagans in the 4th century as a place to worship their idols

Synonyms & Similar Words

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pagan

2 of 2

adjective

as in secular

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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 pagan
Noun
Why would pagans want a coin with a Christian on it? — Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 8 Apr. 2026 The pagans believed eggs symbolized fertility and birth. — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The pagan Martial enjoyed the sight. — Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026 For example, the tradition of Easter eggs stems from pre-Christian pagan traditions, per the outlet. — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pagan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pagan
  1. gentile
  2. secular
  3. atheist
  4. godless
  5. atheistic
  6. irreligious
  7. nonreligious
Noun
  • Since 1998, the program has both grown alongside and influenced the growth of interest in Yiddish language and culture from a wide swath of society, Jew and gentile, young and old, religious and secular alike.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • From there, the beef between the two couples runs the gamut from faux-gentile to downright nasty.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of gentile
Adjective
  • Campbell explained that Democrats have a larger number of secular voters -- people who are not religious, which is a growing segment of the population and within the Democratic Party.
    — Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The stock remains above the rising monthly cloud model, which defines the secular bull trend.
    — Katie Stockton, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of secular
Noun
  • When the rain ends a drought, an atheist can feel grateful that the tomatoes will survive.
    — Mark Schroeder, The Conversation, 15 July 2026
  • Her insights into Maher being a longstanding atheist were a good link back to Twain.
    — Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 29 June 2026
Definition of atheist
Adjective
  • Among all the far-off places, and all the deserted and unknown cities, among all the lawless, godless regions, the Guayrá was an oasis.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes this was committed to good, such as the Marshall Plan and the Peace Corps, and sometimes to ill, as in a series of military blunders meant to quash godless Communism.
    — Jim Rasenberger, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026
Definition of godless
Adjective
  • His father's death during World War II influenced his pursuit of the ministry even amid the officially atheistic communist regime of the Soviet Union, according to his obituary on the OCU website.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
  • But there has been a recent rise in secular congregations that explicitly mimic religious organizations and rituals to celebrate atheistic worldviews.
    — Jacqui Frost, The Conversation, 11 Jan. 2024
Definition of atheistic
Adjective
  • Because materialism had an irreligious connotation, Hattem says it was left out of the national conversation until the Gilded Age of the 1920s, when people start saying the quiet part out loud.
    — Cari Shane, USA Today, 25 June 2026
  • This story is told by an unnamed narrator, an irreligious woman who has joined the nuns as a lay resident after her faith in environmental advocacy crumbled.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of irreligious
Adjective
  • More than two dozen families from a range of religious and nonreligious backgrounds are challenging the mandate across 22 Texas school districts.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Such statements only alienate nonreligious people without a political home from engaging.
    — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 10 Apr. 2026
Definition of nonreligious

Browse Nearby Words

paeans
pagan
paganish
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Cite this Entry

“Pagan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pagan. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pagan

Nglish: Translation of pagan for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pagan

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