as in hymns
a religious song
sang a spiritual at the funeral
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of spirituals
Place your order before the start of the concert, dine in, then cap it off with dessert and a performance — in this case, a smorgasbord of Irish fiddle tunes, spirituals and even some early jazz.
—
Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Davenport carries forward Hogan’s mission to uplift spirituals by continuing to teach his own interpretations of many of the late composer’s arrangements to the choir.
—Tevon Blair, Essence, 30 Dec. 2025
Fastvold shows us religious tableaus coming to life set to Daniel Blumberg’s arrangements of Shaker spirituals.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
The event features a community sing-along of American spirituals, folk songs and bluegrass favorites, hosted by conductor and composer John Yankee with musicians from the San Diego Bluegrass Society, Mission Bay High School and PB Community Choir.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025
The work, which King has described as a meditation on love, resilience and inner-strength, is set to Black spirituals and Jewish liturgical music, features vocals by the great singer Lisa Fischer and a score by piano great Jason Moran, artists with whom the collab-happy King has worked before.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2025
Cole’s formative years were spent in church; gospel songs, hymns and spirituals formed the foundation of his musical education.
—Donna M. Cox, The Conversation, 18 Feb. 2025
Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Davenport carries forward Hogan’s mission to uplift spirituals by continuing to teach his own interpretations of many of the late composer’s arrangements to the choir.
—Tevon Blair, Essence, 30 Dec. 2025
Fastvold shows us religious tableaus coming to life set to Daniel Blumberg’s arrangements of Shaker spirituals.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2025
The event features a community sing-along of American spirituals, folk songs and bluegrass favorites, hosted by conductor and composer John Yankee with musicians from the San Diego Bluegrass Society, Mission Bay High School and PB Community Choir.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025
The work, which King has described as a meditation on love, resilience and inner-strength, is set to Black spirituals and Jewish liturgical music, features vocals by the great singer Lisa Fischer and a score by piano great Jason Moran, artists with whom the collab-happy King has worked before.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2025
Cole’s formative years were spent in church; gospel songs, hymns and spirituals formed the foundation of his musical education.
—Donna M. Cox, The Conversation, 18 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spirituals
Noun
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Most candlelight services include familiar Christmas hymns, a short message about the birth of Jesus, and a moment of reflection as the lights dim and candles are passed.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Dec. 2025
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The film demands plenty of its cast, including singing, dancing and getting caught in rapture, set to an unconventional soundtrack based on Shaker hymns by Oscar-winning composer Daniel Blumberg.—
William Earl,
Variety,
18 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Johnson doesn’t listen to pop anthems all the time.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
2 Jan. 2026
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Bleu Edmondson was once one of the most promising stars in the Texas country scene, as well as the author of party anthems that still ring out on jukeboxes and college playlists across the Lone Star State.—
Josh Crutchmer,
Rolling Stone,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The fabled singer-songwriter is set to play 21 shows on the continent this spring, in support of his latest release, 2023’s Seven Psalms.—
Alex Suskind,
Pitchfork,
11 Dec. 2025
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Each song presents a lyrical tapestry that carries messages from God, frequently drawing upon references to biblical psalms.—
Ingrid Fajardo,
Billboard,
26 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spirituals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spirituals. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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