as in temporal
not involving religion or religious matters
that's an issue for the secular authorities, not the church
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 secular
The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Apr. 2026
Holland argues that Western secular values, such as belief in the importance of compassion, equality, and human rights, are not universal human instincts.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2023
His selection of works, for example, mixed the sacred with the secular, interspersing chorale preludes (which use Lutheran hymns as their point of departure) with the six trio sonatas for organ.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for secular
Adjective
For reasons having more to do with modern secular culture and commerce than religious significance, Christmas is more elaborately celebrated.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Apr. 2026
Holland argues that Western secular values, such as belief in the importance of compassion, equality, and human rights, are not universal human instincts.
—John Blake, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
There was a change of heart among the secular nationalists during the second intifada—which started in 2000 and ended in 2005—in which seculars also joined forces.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2023
His selection of works, for example, mixed the sacred with the secular, interspersing chorale preludes (which use Lutheran hymns as their point of departure) with the six trio sonatas for organ.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for secular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secular
Adjective
-
Zhe said the study is the first to reveal the trends in artificial light use with a level of temporal detail that distinguishes individual events and regional trends.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The forty-three-year gap between provocation and retaliation is a void between cause and effect into which all temporal logic vanishes.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The pipeline will provide up to 185,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas, an industry term that Fore admitted was difficult to explain for laymen.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
-
From my layman’s perspective, this seemed promising, plus the attorney seemed invested.—
Jasper Craven,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Florida statutes creating the charter school framework also require those schools to be nonreligious.—
Gray Rohrer,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Republicans vow to appeal Arkansas ruling Last year, seven Arkansas families of various religious and nonreligious backgrounds filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s new law requiring all public elementary and secondary schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library.—
Sara Cline,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Driver and scientific studies say the benefits are real, but what about the layperson?—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Moreover, the dashboard itself is very difficult for parents and other laypersons to understand.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Secular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secular. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
