1
as in habits
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
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2
as in ceremonies
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rituals
Weir had never been averse to alcohol; among his many lifestyle rituals was burning off a night of wine with an intense morning run the next day.
—
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
Others say that a balance can be struck and that, in moderation, such rituals are part of the month’s festive spirit.
—Mariam Fam, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Adherents welcome the new year with a variety of cultural traditions and rituals such as carnivals, parades, fireworks and ancestor remembrance.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
The Spa’s Herb Garden taps the island’s organic bounty, growing plants used in treatments, rituals, and teas.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
This is just one in a series of rituals designed to liven up the tedium of wealth, just another game in service of manipulating others while pushing back against an all-encompassing numbness.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2026
Good health isn’t just a single look, or a single set of daily rituals, or a single test of physical endurance.
—Stuart A. Spencer, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
As other relatives arrive for the commemoration, Nour discovers a vital side of her family she’s never known, losing herself in dancing, eating, drinking, praying and other rituals over several long days and nights.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
This particular version is fancy fancy, because your sheep-counting rituals deserve nothing less.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
Others say that a balance can be struck and that, in moderation, such rituals are part of the month’s festive spirit.
—Mariam Fam, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Adherents welcome the new year with a variety of cultural traditions and rituals such as carnivals, parades, fireworks and ancestor remembrance.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
The Spa’s Herb Garden taps the island’s organic bounty, growing plants used in treatments, rituals, and teas.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
This is just one in a series of rituals designed to liven up the tedium of wealth, just another game in service of manipulating others while pushing back against an all-encompassing numbness.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2026
Good health isn’t just a single look, or a single set of daily rituals, or a single test of physical endurance.
—Stuart A. Spencer, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
As other relatives arrive for the commemoration, Nour discovers a vital side of her family she’s never known, losing herself in dancing, eating, drinking, praying and other rituals over several long days and nights.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
This particular version is fancy fancy, because your sheep-counting rituals deserve nothing less.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rituals
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.—
Lauran Neergaard,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Find out how your cooking habits match up to the rest of the world.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Permanent-residency applications from more than seventy countries have been frozen, naturalization ceremonies cancelled.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Earlier on Tuesday, Kosovo's security forces paraded in Pristina as part of the independence ceremonies, and Parliament held a special session.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The challenge is whether current board composition practices—across industries—truly reflect the full range of perspectives necessary to understand future customers and market trends.—
Betsy Atkins,
Fortune,
22 Feb. 2026
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But, so far, Fanatics hasn’t faced much scrutiny either by federal regulators or in Congress, and the company hasn’t hit any major setbacks in the cases in which it’s accused of monopolistic practices.—
A.J. Perez,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Stansted Airport has said that private aircraft operations are conducted through separate independent terminals, while immigration and customs checks are handled by Border Force, a law enforcement command within the UK Home Office.—
Lauren Said-Moorhouse,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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The union of these two worlds has created a unique garden that revisits this culture and these ancestral Japanese customs with the flowers so dear to Monsieur Dior.—
Kelly Wetherille,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Russia wants to swallow Ukraine, even though both nations share Orthodox rites.—
Josef Joffe,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In chats among Kalshi traders on the online forum Discord, some show their reluctance to reveal their trading tricks by misdirecting.—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Coleman was known for her daring stunt tricks in the air.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The 40-day period leads up to observances of Jesus’ death on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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Public observances will be held in Chicago and future plans for celebration of life events will be announced by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Jackson family said in its statement Tuesday.—
Char Adams,
NBC news,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The cuts are not uniform, with areas of the campus scaling back in different ways.—
Jaweed Kaleem,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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This can be done in different ways, such as retrofitting a facility to emit directly into a storage location or by building vacuumlike structures to suck up emissions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rituals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rituals. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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