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
Relevance
as in secular
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Marina Johnson, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026
Valentine's Day pagan connections One of the most common explanations is that Valentine's Day has its origins in the ancient Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
The characters here, though, are nowhere near so smart as those conniving pagans and can only dream of outwitting the sophisticated folk from the mainland, coming there with their talk of cake, and comfy chairs, and their lies.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026
According to the Pew Research Center, historically between one-third and one-half of Americans observe this pagan rite every year by making their own New Year’s resolutions.
—Bhumika Tharoor, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
The crowds, many dressed as druids and pagans, had gathered before dawn, waiting patiently in the dark and cold field in southwest England.
—CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025
In pagan and other pre-Christian traditions, legends arose of mythical beings who emerged during the long nights around the solstice to dole out more extreme punishments to those who weren't on their best behavior.
—Carlie Procell, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
Other cultures had similar variations of a dark helper, like the Alpine pagans’ Perchten and the Palatinate region’s Belsnickel.
—Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 5 Dec. 2025
Samhain is also celebrated in Salem by the local pagan and witch communities, who often share their traditions with curious out-of-towners.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
Over the course of that months-long reporting, a picture has emerged of the radical characters involved with the property, including a notorious neo-Nazi family and a pagan mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025
The History of Hanukkah More than 2,000 years ago, Antiochus, a cruel ruler of the Greek Kingdom, imposed pagan beliefs on the Jewish people.
—Holly Rizzuto Palker, Parents, 14 Dec. 2025
Summons the pagan sprit of Excel art.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Warily establishing themselves in a new settlement, where the husband gets work carving an idol for a pagan temple, they are initially welcomed.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025
When a rigid, devoutly Christian cop (Edward Woodward) arrives in search of a missing girl, he's horrified by the island's embrace of pagan rituals.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
This pagan tradition took place on October 31 when the Celts believed the veil between the physical world and the spirit realm was thinnest, with ceremonial fires and rituals taking place to mark the conclusion of one pastoral year, and the entry into the next.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
The History Blog noted that King Knut led campaigns against pagan groups to spread Christianity.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 12 Oct. 2025
Noun
Valentine's Day pagan connections One of the most common explanations is that Valentine's Day has its origins in the ancient Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia.
—Marina Johnson, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026
Valentine's Day pagan connections One of the most common explanations is that Valentine's Day has its origins in the ancient Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 29 Jan. 2026
The characters here, though, are nowhere near so smart as those conniving pagans and can only dream of outwitting the sophisticated folk from the mainland, coming there with their talk of cake, and comfy chairs, and their lies.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 Jan. 2026
According to the Pew Research Center, historically between one-third and one-half of Americans observe this pagan rite every year by making their own New Year’s resolutions.
—Bhumika Tharoor, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025
The crowds, many dressed as druids and pagans, had gathered before dawn, waiting patiently in the dark and cold field in southwest England.
—CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025
In pagan and other pre-Christian traditions, legends arose of mythical beings who emerged during the long nights around the solstice to dole out more extreme punishments to those who weren't on their best behavior.
—Carlie Procell, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
Other cultures had similar variations of a dark helper, like the Alpine pagans’ Perchten and the Palatinate region’s Belsnickel.
—Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 5 Dec. 2025
Samhain is also celebrated in Salem by the local pagan and witch communities, who often share their traditions with curious out-of-towners.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Groundhog Day is its pagan echo — a reading of light and shadow, an old way of guessing at spring.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
Over the course of that months-long reporting, a picture has emerged of the radical characters involved with the property, including a notorious neo-Nazi family and a pagan mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025
The History of Hanukkah More than 2,000 years ago, Antiochus, a cruel ruler of the Greek Kingdom, imposed pagan beliefs on the Jewish people.
—Holly Rizzuto Palker, Parents, 14 Dec. 2025
Summons the pagan sprit of Excel art.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Warily establishing themselves in a new settlement, where the husband gets work carving an idol for a pagan temple, they are initially welcomed.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025
When a rigid, devoutly Christian cop (Edward Woodward) arrives in search of a missing girl, he's horrified by the island's embrace of pagan rituals.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
This pagan tradition took place on October 31 when the Celts believed the veil between the physical world and the spirit realm was thinnest, with ceremonial fires and rituals taking place to mark the conclusion of one pastoral year, and the entry into the next.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2025
The History Blog noted that King Knut led campaigns against pagan groups to spread Christianity.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 12 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pagan
Noun
-
Posters on the platform often used the term in anti-Semitic ways, such as in the terms goyslop (unhealthy foods that these conspiracy theorists believed were a Jewish plot to hinder gentiles) and goycattle (the unthinking masses who are constantly being manipulated by Jewish people).—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The basic original recipe for latkes—grated potatoes formed into small cakes and fried—was similar to ones popular at the time among gentiles in Eastern Europe during the Christmas season.—
Joan Nathan,
Saveur,
4 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Rabbi Andrew Schultz, executive director of the Community Alliance for Jewish Affiliated Cemeteries, said this option does not align with Jewish burial traditions, though many secular Jews inquire about alternate practices.—
Hannah Kliger,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Judging by her writings, Raha belonged to a milieu in Tehran where the arts are a secular religion.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hesse, now an atheist, has few good things to say about the good many evangelical churches do.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
-
This is even true of the cold, hard atheists—the effective altruists.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
His stories, particularly the later ones, center around the idea that the Universe is a godless cosmos that is entirely indifferent to humanity.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Predictably, the hubbub surrounding the photo was eventually framed as a war between uptight virgins and godless heathens, with a quieter contingent astounded only by the fact that this kind of marketing could still be so effective.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Stewart’s switch from his usual snark to imitate Colbert’s buffoonery proved how spiteful and irreligious political humor has become since the left’s worship of Barack Obama and subsequent persecution of President Trump.—
Armond White,
National Review,
25 July 2025
-
Silverstein had a much different experience growing up, given the fact that his parents were both Baalei teshuva (irreligious Jews who become more observant later in life).—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Groups including Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Freedom From Religion Foundation are representing the plaintiffs, a group of both religious and nonreligious families who want to block the laws.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Kwanzaa is a nonreligious, secular holiday that is mainly celebrated in North America and the Caribbean.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
2 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pagan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pagan. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
