1
as in intentness
a mental state free of jesting or trifling
the coronation ceremony requires absolute solemnity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ritual
an oft-repeated action or series of actions performed in accordance with tradition or a set of rules
the solemnities of the Easter vigil service
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of solemnity
His solemnity and her contempt converge, with startling force, in the movie’s final moment.
—
Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025
Tom Hanks plays Paul, a death-row prison guard who treats his job with near-religious solemnity, and Oscar-nominee Michael Clarke Duncan is John Coffey, his newest inmate, who just so happens to have magical powers.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
Network desks tried to convey a sense of tradition and solemnity while scrambling to process a rush of Trump executive orders that made clear these were not ordinary times.
—James Poniewozik, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
There is something interesting that happens in the kill rooms where there is an air of solemnity about it.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for solemnity
Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2025
Tom Hanks plays Paul, a death-row prison guard who treats his job with near-religious solemnity, and Oscar-nominee Michael Clarke Duncan is John Coffey, his newest inmate, who just so happens to have magical powers.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
Network desks tried to convey a sense of tradition and solemnity while scrambling to process a rush of Trump executive orders that made clear these were not ordinary times.
—James Poniewozik, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
There is something interesting that happens in the kill rooms where there is an air of solemnity about it.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for solemnity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for solemnity
Noun
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In each iteration, the body of the deceased was pulled by livestock or carried by boat while mourners performed rituals to honor their lives and, in some cultures, to encourage safe passage for the spirit into the afterlife.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
-
Generations pass, cultures overlap, and trends evolve, but the sanctity of beauty rituals for and by ourselves remain.—
Cierra Black,
Essence,
9 May 2025
Noun
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The sense of buoyancy in markets, then, could be a head rush — evoked by the U.S.-China trade deal over the weekend — that could dissipate once the gravity of the economic headwinds takes over again.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
16 May 2025
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Cannes veteran Suzu Hirose (Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Our Little Sister) plays young Etsuko with a luminous fragility, while Yoh Yoshida (Desperate Sunflowers) portrays the older version of the character with enigmatic gravity.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2025
Noun
-
Meghan and Prince Harry first tied the knot in May 2018 in an ornate ceremony at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
20 May 2025
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For the second year in a row, some students have used their graduation ceremonies as a platform to protest against Israel’s conduct of the war.—
Emma Whitford,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
Noun
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Law Day Members of the Lake County legal community came together on May 2 for the annual Law Day observance with students from around the county.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2025
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Likewise, this week’s study found that 62% of Israeli Jews, and 49% of American Jews, perform religious fasts — the central observance of Yom Kippur.—
Ben Sales,
Sun Sentinel,
7 May 2025
Noun
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In addition to Ducasse’s culinary mastery, offering a cohesive experience that encompasses the liveried staff in period costumes and the ceremonial is part and parcel of the success of the banquet, according to Révah.—
Lily Templeton,
WWD,
20 Feb. 2025
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For those who missed the game, most of the Chiefs’ scores came in garbage time; the lopsided affair was 24-0 at halftime, and the Eagles’ first score was a ceremonial Jalen Hurts Tush Push.—
Jess Bryant,
The Athletic,
10 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Solemnity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solemnity. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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