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
Tory Johnson, ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Wild rhythms evoke the rupture of that earth, making way for the pagan rituals that herald the arrival of spring.
—Luis Palomares, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
R. Alexander Bentley, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
In the process of closing the house of worship, congregation leaders sold its Torah scrolls and offered ritual items to functioning synagogues outside the region.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ritual
Noun
This fragrance is the essence of tranquility, designed to wrap your space in a cozy, comforting glow and invite a sense of peace into your daily rituals.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Wild rhythms evoke the rupture of that earth, making way for the pagan rituals that herald the arrival of spring.
—Luis Palomares, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Shamans – ritual experts in medicinal knowledge and caregiving – helped their groups survive.
—R. Alexander Bentley, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
In the process of closing the house of worship, congregation leaders sold its Torah scrolls and offered ritual items to functioning synagogues outside the region.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ritual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ritual
Noun
-
Symptoms include blood in stool or rectal bleeding; changes in bowel habits such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of stool that lasts more than a few days; unintended weight loss; and cramps or abdominal pain.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The car was a 2012 Fiat 500, white like the whale, with a transmission that had developed the unfortunate habit of popping out of third gear.—
Mary Norris,
New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
During the weekend, the honorees receive awards, meet the president, give speeches at State Department dinners, and then conclude at a bipartisan ceremony at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Feb. 2026
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Pope Leo has been invited to lead the opening ceremony of the central tower next summer.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The largely ceremonial legislature rubber stamps decisions that have been made by the ruling Communist Party.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
After the funeral service, there will be a processional to the Beverly Shores Fire Station for Himan’s ceremonial last call.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The death certificate also notes that Oseguera Cervantes was to be buried, standard practice in cases of violent deaths to allow for additional forensic evidence to be gathered if needed in the future.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The university currently has plans to build a $42 million basketball practice facility.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The weavings were reserved for use in royal courts, during funerary rites or for other important ceremonies.—
Virginia Brown,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Feb. 2026
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Gomis, who’s credited along with five other editors, cuts from one ceremony to the other without warning, creating a vivid menagerie of sights, sounds, rites, languages, faces and places.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Lent is an important approximately 40-day period in the Christian liturgical calendar marked by prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, or charity work.—
Matthew Kayser,
Ascend Agency,
26 Feb. 2026
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In the 4th century, these festivals were adapted by Christians and incorporated into the liturgical calendar as a period of indulgence before the penitential observance of Lent.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But there are tricks to blending in.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
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Méliès, a prominent French stage magician who turned to filmmaking after seeing the Lumière brothers in Paris in 1895, pioneered theatrical tricks such as double exposure, black screens and forced perspective.—
Eric Henderson,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Today, 100 years after the first observance of what would become Black History Month, roughly three dozen Black males are serving in Congress.—
Arthur Jones II,
ABC News,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The Grapevine-Colleyville school board on Monday rejected the creation of a policy in alignment with Senate Bill 11, also stating the district already had a policy allowing students to engage in prayer and religious observance during the school day.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ritual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ritual. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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