as in hymns
a religious song
sang a spiritual at the funeral
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spirituals
Families gathered, spirituals filled the streets, and emancipation—long delayed—became real at last.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
16 June 2026
This vibrant, free afternoon concert will feature a rich selection of beloved American choral favorites, including rousing gospel selections, powerful spirituals, and timeless classics that resonate across generations, a news release stated.
—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
The music is eclectic and includes sounds associated with Islam as well as bluegrass, hymns and spirituals.
—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
At Merkin Hall, Chanticleer rings in the semiquincentennial with a new work by Trevor Weston, which spotlights the legacy of African American spirituals.
—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
As iconic church songs that have crossed over into secular spirituals, they were written to be memorable and singable, crowd-tested for at least a couple of generations.
—
David W. Stowe,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2026
With elements of jazz, gospel and spirituals incorporated into the music, the song was a British homage to Black American music traditions.
—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
18 Jan. 2026
America’s long struggle against racial segregation was accompanied by a righteous soundtrack of spirituals and gospel and soul music, anthems that channeled sanctified fervor into the fight for equality.
—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2026
From slave spirituals to civil rights-era protest songs to the YG and Kendrick Lamar songs that soundtracked the last decade of Black Lives Matter protests, musicians across genres tend to react to our country’s horrors with music.
—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
9 Jan. 2026
Encyclopedia Britannica,
16 June 2026
This vibrant, free afternoon concert will feature a rich selection of beloved American choral favorites, including rousing gospel selections, powerful spirituals, and timeless classics that resonate across generations, a news release stated.
—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
The music is eclectic and includes sounds associated with Islam as well as bluegrass, hymns and spirituals.
—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
At Merkin Hall, Chanticleer rings in the semiquincentennial with a new work by Trevor Weston, which spotlights the legacy of African American spirituals.
—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2026
As iconic church songs that have crossed over into secular spirituals, they were written to be memorable and singable, crowd-tested for at least a couple of generations.
—
David W. Stowe,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2026
With elements of jazz, gospel and spirituals incorporated into the music, the song was a British homage to Black American music traditions.
—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
18 Jan. 2026
America’s long struggle against racial segregation was accompanied by a righteous soundtrack of spirituals and gospel and soul music, anthems that channeled sanctified fervor into the fight for equality.
—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2026
From slave spirituals to civil rights-era protest songs to the YG and Kendrick Lamar songs that soundtracked the last decade of Black Lives Matter protests, musicians across genres tend to react to our country’s horrors with music.
—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spirituals
Noun
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As mourners talked quietly, nursery rhymes were interspersed with traditional gospel hymns.
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One version sings hymns to a mythic nation always free, always just, always brave, always chosen.
Noun
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Meanwhile, singing anthems at England national team matches is nothing new for English supporters.
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As the anthems played ahead of Curaçao’s first-ever World Cup match, Advocaat stood on the touchline and wiped away tears.
Noun
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Take The Music Lesson, a study of a young woman playing the virginal, closely watched by a gentleman, which Graham-Dixon reads as a depiction of Collegiants chastely performing and singing psalms.
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Over the course of Gregory Orr’s long career, his poems have become increasingly incantatory, more and more like chants or psalms, repeating, reformulating, reaching for the edges of the same rich metaphors.
Cite this Entry
“Spirituals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spirituals. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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