SPIRITUAL Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

spiritual 1 of 2

adjective

ˈspir-i-chə-wəl

Definition of spiritual

as in metaphysical

not composed of matter a staunch skeptic and realist, he scoffs at the very notion of ghosts and other spiritual entities

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in religious

of, relating to, or used in the practice or worship services of a religion spiritual songs that have been sung by generations of worshippers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spiritual

2 of 2

noun

as in hymn

a religious song sang a spiritual at the funeral

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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 spiritual

Adjective

When the crown proves capable of betrayal, Garfield sees the break as spiritual as much as political. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 11 Sep. 2026 Experts suspect the pigment may be cinnabar, a mercury sulfide mineral that held immense spiritual and ritualistic value for the Chimu, explicitly reserved for high-ranking members of society. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Noun

The historic church was recently destroyed by fire, but just like these spirituals, melodies of strength are unwavering and inspiring. — Ukee Washington, CBS News, 19 June 2026 Born in Black communities in New Orleans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, jazz emerged from a blend of African rhythms, blues, spirituals, ragtime, improvisation, and collective storytelling. — Keith Brooks, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for spiritual

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiritual

Adjective

Dürrenmatt is more focused on moral than metaphysical questions.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
More recently, Reid was a series regular on Prime Video’s metaphysical Western drama Outer Range opposite Josh Brolin and Imogen Poots.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of metaphysical

Adjective

Though religious thinkers will fight fiercely to show one of the stories to be the one that religion really sanctions, each Abrahamic religion has signposts pointing both ways.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Today it is shown with regularity in religious schools, and has a fervent following among theater kids.

— Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of religious

Noun

One of the entrants for the Festival Poems had been a sham Wordsworthian hymn to the poor flowers.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
The crowd listened in silence as the Polynesians, wearing blue fire uniforms, sang a Tahitian hymn in harmony while two of them strummed ukuleles.

— Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of hymn

Adjective

Meanwhile, at a college job fair, Angie and Ormewood encounter a grad student claiming to have psychic visions.

— Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 6 Sep. 2026
While psychic readers have storefronts in other parts of the city, this change applies to the Community Business and Boulevard Business zoning districts, which previously did not permit soothsaying.

— Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of psychic

Adjective

This is now the third attempt to deface this sacred memorial and turn it into a vanity project for one man’s ego.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
The production’s creative team, led by the inexhaustibly inventive director José Luis Valenzuela, returns us to a world where the dead are owed sacred duties and the living are fearful to renege on this basic human responsibility.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of sacred

Noun

The potty-training anthem, which also features Elmo and Abby Cadabby, gets a colorful Sesame Street makeover while still keeping the visual flair that made Roan’s original such a perfect pop hit.

— Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 16 Sep. 2026
The following Sunday, more than 200 players responded by protesting — with most of them taking a knee during the anthem.

— Mike Jones, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of anthem

Adjective

But the choice of this particular angle of attack reveals the almost supernatural staying power of a rumor, or urban legend, that started roughly four decades ago.

— Allen Salkin, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026
The original seven-season series followed Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, a young woman who slays vampires, demons and other supernatural creatures with the help of her friends.

— Isabelle Farina, Variety, 13 Sep. 2026

Definition of supernatural

Noun

Psalm 23 is numbered Psalm 22 in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate because of differences in how the psalms are divided and numbered.

— Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Aug. 2026
But presiding over his daughter’s outdoor wedding helped, fulfilling another psalm’s promise.

— Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

Definition of psalm

Cite this Entry

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“Spiritual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiritual. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of spiritual

adjective

noun

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