Thesaurus results for RITES

rites

noun

plural of rite

as in rituals

an oft-repeated action or series of actions performed in accordance with tradition or a set of rules the annual summer rite of loading up the car for the big family vacation

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 rites The siting of the rites at the Colosseum—where it has been held since 1964, echoing a practice from the eighteenth century—means that the Pope enacts Jesus’ final hours not in a Baroque basilica but against the backdrop of the Roman Empire, which exercised power through violence. —

Paul Elie, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2026 Freedom to hold religious rites in Jerusalem must be ensured for all religions. —

Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026 One of the central pillars of the American dream is becoming increasingly decoupled from the other key rites of adulthood. —

Jake Angelo, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026 Of these, Anglicans traditionally hold only baptism and the Eucharist as sacraments instituted by Christ and regard the others as sacramental rites. —

Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Mar. 2026 What makes the piece even more precious is that, in addition to Elizabeth, as many as 62 more children of the royal family have worn it for their own baptismal rites, including Charles and Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. —

Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 3 Mar. 2026 Their burial places were viewed as offering protection to the community, and they were honored like saints with festivals and religious rites. —

Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026 The weavings were reserved for use in royal courts, during funerary rites or for other important ceremonies. —

Virginia Brown, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026 Russia wants to swallow Ukraine, even though both nations share Orthodox rites. —

Josef Joffe, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rites

Noun

Humiliation rituals were driving players away from the game.

— Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The film shifts the focus from traditional narratives of policy and victimhood to the everyday experiences of individuals adapting to a life of constant threat, raising critical questions about whether these safety rituals signify true preparedness or a surrender to violence.

— Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026