1
as in habit
a usual manner of behaving or doing
her morning ritual is to enjoy a bracing cup of coffee while reading the newspaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ceremony
an oft-repeated action or series of actions performed in accordance with tradition or a set of rules
a ritual that the ancient peoples of that country believed would bring rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in ceremonial
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of ritual
Sara Payan, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
The ritual floats on, coming around each summer like the willow warbler or the common cuckoo.
—Jordan Michelman, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025
At the Hōshi Ryokan, the daily rituals of preparing baths or meals resemble a kind of stewardship — something that has kept the inn alive for more than 1,300 years.
—Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ritual
Noun
Rolling a joint has always been part ritual, part art, part social connector.
—Sara Payan, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025
The ritual floats on, coming around each summer like the willow warbler or the common cuckoo.
—Jordan Michelman, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
In the early republic, even homicide could be absorbed into politics when cloaked in ritual.
—Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025
At the Hōshi Ryokan, the daily rituals of preparing baths or meals resemble a kind of stewardship — something that has kept the inn alive for more than 1,300 years.
—Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ritual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ritual
Noun
-
Companies that invest in truly knowing their customers and understanding their buying habits will keep those customers.—
Shep Hyken,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The request was met with boos from some Democrats who pointed out that a Colorado school shooting on the same day had not received the same ceremony.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Netanyahu attended a ceremony in the West Bank on Thursday celebrating his right-wing government's expansion of the settlement of Ma'ale Adumim.—
Jordana Miller,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Joining Muniz in the ceremonial duties were LL Cool J, David Arquette, and Mandy Moore.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Rupert, now 94, will continue in a figurehead capacity as chairman emeritus of the companies, maintaining ceremonial leadership but no direct voting control.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That sentiment even inspired the name of her practice, Nurtured First.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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Others have pointed to Biglari’s practice of hanging his portrait in every Steak ‘n Shake location and the chain’s own financial struggles.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As part of the Stone Dead project, the new research demonstrates how tools played an important role in Stone Age funerary rites.—
Sarah Durn,
Popular Science,
11 Sep. 2025
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Acutis’ site reported incidents of the host – the bread used in the rite – beginning to bleed or even exhibiting living tissue.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And that is why his music in Church Slavonic, the liturgical language for many Orthodox Christians, sounds another way.—
Jeffers Engelhardt,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The priestly fraternity, named in honor of the anti-modernist Pope St. Pius X, was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre as a response to liturgical reforms made in the Second Vatican Council (also known as Vatican II).—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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So the real trick was creating a hue with blendability that people were willing to reapply.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The Luray Caverns feel almost magical—complete with musical instruments built into the walls, mirror-like lakes that play tricks on your eyes, and even a wishing well tucked into the underground pathways.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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While not officially a weekend, the Friday observance means many people will be able to celebrate the ghoulish evening without school or work looming.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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The Vances had originally planned to attend the annual 9/11 observance in New York City, but changed plans to go to Utah and escort Kirk's casket.—
Mandy Taheri
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ritual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ritual. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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