as in heathenism
Related Words
Relevance
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 paganism
Groups like the English Puritans deemed the holiday as satanic due to its relations with paganism and witchcraft.
—
Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 31 Oct. 2025
In all of the courses, the pedagogy is an awkward pastiche of traditions, combining Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Slavic paganism, Siberian shamanism, and Asian spiritual practices, spiked with elements of Jungian and American pop psychology.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
Raphael envisioned his design as a series of murals depicting the triumph of Christianity over paganism: The Vision of the Cross, The Battle of the Milvian Bridge, The Baptism of Constantine and The Donation of Rome.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2025
The songs molded a claustrophobic, atmospheric universe out of blast beats, buzz-saw guitars and strangled shrieking, with misanthropic lyrics that explored bleakness, despair, paganism and coldness (both metaphorical and literal).
—Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paganism
Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 31 Oct. 2025
In all of the courses, the pedagogy is an awkward pastiche of traditions, combining Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Slavic paganism, Siberian shamanism, and Asian spiritual practices, spiked with elements of Jungian and American pop psychology.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
Raphael envisioned his design as a series of murals depicting the triumph of Christianity over paganism: The Vision of the Cross, The Battle of the Milvian Bridge, The Baptism of Constantine and The Donation of Rome.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2025
The songs molded a claustrophobic, atmospheric universe out of blast beats, buzz-saw guitars and strangled shrieking, with misanthropic lyrics that explored bleakness, despair, paganism and coldness (both metaphorical and literal).
—Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paganism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paganism
Noun
-
Although Americans are rarely asked to weigh in on polytheism, surveys consistently show that not believing in God is among the biggest political liabilities—more electorally costly than being gay, Black, Jewish, Muslim, or female.—
Manvir Singh,
New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The opera ends with Akhnaten’s son, presumably Tutankhamun, restoring polytheism, and then, once the staging jumps millennia into the future, it’s rediscovered by modern-day tourists.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The former clubhouse was remodeled into Trinity Christian College’s administration building, and the original curriculum focused on philosophy, history, English and theology.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
-
In 2017, Barnes temporarily left Steubenville to pursue a graduate degree in theology in England.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For all its moral and political weight, monotheism is surprisingly hard to pin down.—
Manvir Singh,
New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Stasevska was born in 1984, the same year that Glass’ hypnotic, ritualistic opera, about an Egyptian pharaoh who dared to push monotheism onto his polytheistic culture, debuted in Stuttgart, Germany.—
Tim Greiving,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In 1809, Friedrich’s budding pantheism landed him in hot water.—
Zachary Fine,
The New Yorker,
28 June 2024
-
If anyone is wondering, stoicism and pantheism are my preferred lenses through to view the world.—
Christa Allen,
Allure,
28 May 2021
Noun
-
The Chinese Communists aren’t trying to extirpate every last trace of theism, thereby inviting the undivided opposition of religious believers and institutions (as the Soviets did with regard to John Paul II’s Vatican).—
Cameron Hilditch,
National Review,
21 Feb. 2021
-
Thoreau moves fluidly between the two, shuttling between the divine and the here-and-now, between theism and materialism.—
Longreads,
Longreads,
13 July 2017
Noun
-
From their perspective, the war validated Iran’s military investments and doctrine.—
Pegah Banihashemi,
Time,
10 Apr. 2026
-
One of the famous cases involving the third-party doctrine involves microfiche in a bank.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This vague gesture in the direction of deism has no antecedent in the book, no moral or theological trajectory to make Bambi’s insight meaningful or satisfying.—
Kathryn Schulz,
The New Yorker,
17 Jan. 2022
-
Those intuitions usually commended a staid deism and scorn for those whose beliefs extended any further.—
Jeffrey Collins,
WSJ,
12 Mar. 2021
Noun
-
The script throws a lot of ideas out there and, refreshingly, none of them is to be taken as dogma, especially not Julian’s comment about who has the right to judge art.—
Lindsey Bahr,
Boston Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
-
While the broad outlines are fairly clear, dogma should be avoided when dealing with the various types of gladiators.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paganism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paganism. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
