sacrilegious

adjective

ˌsa-krə-ˈli-jəs How to pronounce sacrilegious (audio)
Definition of sacrilegiousnext
as in blasphemous
not showing proper reverence for the holy or sacred a sacrilegious, obscene joke—and told in church at that!

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 sacrilegious Even the recipe deemed sacrilegious in Carbonaragate cannot evoke the same dramatic reactions or touch the same sensitivities that surround cheese—a relationship that, like wine and bread, is often inseparable from faith, sometimes quite literally. — Literary Hub, 11 June 2026 In any other context, a house of God smattered with people staring at their phones, trusting AI to speak to them, might feel sacrilegious. — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 26 May 2026 Call me sacrilegious, but there’s one place that a King’s Hawaiian roll tastes even better than the altar rail, and that’s at the beach. — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 25 May 2026 To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. — Jeremy Mennis, The Conversation, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sacrilegious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sacrilegious
  1. blasphemous
  2. impious
  3. secular
  4. atheistic
  5. irreverent
  6. pagan
Adjective
  • When a new Star Trek series was announced in 1987, many OG fans found the very idea blasphemous.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Intizar Masih is awaiting trial for a blasphemous post he is said to have shared on WhatsApp in 2023.
    — Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of blasphemous
Adjective
  • Many other traditionalists have made a version of Scruton’s critique, insisting that contemporary art reflects self-indulgent, relativistic, and impious tendencies.
    — Luis Parrales, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
  • While no formal announcement has been made to update its longstanding alcohol ban, Andrew Leber of Tulane University said this is in line with the Kingdom’s past approach to such potentially impious reforms.
    — Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
Definition of impious
Adjective
  • Some younger attendees on Saturday said Leo's humane tone and emphasis on care for the vulnerable resonated beyond the faithful in their secular country as people grapple with a turbulent world.
    — ISABEL DEBRE, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The most vociferous opposition has come from Avigdor Lieberman, head of the right-wing secular Yisrael Beiteinu party.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of secular
Adjective
  • His father's death during World War II influenced his pursuit of the ministry even amid the officially atheistic communist regime of the Soviet Union, according to his obituary on the OCU website.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
  • But there has been a recent rise in secular congregations that explicitly mimic religious organizations and rituals to celebrate atheistic worldviews.
    — Jacqui Frost, The Conversation, 11 Jan. 2024
Definition of atheistic
Adjective
  • The host was once positioned as an irreverent comedian whose political satire was guided by his no-BS take on Capitol Hill and American culture.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Above Average is billed as an irreverent look at celebrity culture, corporate power and society’s obsession with being exceptional.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of irreverent
Adjective
  • Still, further research is needed to fully explain the motives and rationale behind the reuse of pagan tombs and sarcophagi during the medieval Christian period, Roffey told CNN in an email.
    — Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Long used in pagan rituals and spell casting—typically placed on dedicated altars—candles are seen as the bridge between the physical and spiritual realms.
    — Francesca Perry, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of pagan

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Cite this Entry

“Sacrilegious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sacrilegious. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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