holier; holiest
1
: exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness
2
: divine
for the Lord our God is holy—
Psalms 99:9 (King James Version)
Psalms 99:9 (King James Version)3
: devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity
a holy temple
holy prophets
4
a
: having a divine quality
holy love
b
: venerated as or as if sacred
holy scripture
a holy relic
5
—used as an intensive
this is a holy mess
he was a holy terror when he drank—Thomas Wolfe
—often used in combination as a mild oathThomas Wolfeholy smoke
Examples of holy in a Sentence
a holy relic worn by one of the saints
the holy monk spent many hours on his knees in prayer
Recent Examples on the Web
Even Joe — who, for the love of all that is holy, just wants his goddamn air fryer back — can’t help but point out how little Rose has visited.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 May 2025
Although the proximate cause of the Crimean War in the mid-19th century was a dispute between Russia and the Ottoman Empire over control of Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, historians also attribute the conflict to geopolitical rivalries and imperial ambitions.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025
Unquestionably, the holy sites were the most important piece, but food is easier ...
—Sarah Schutte, National Review, 27 Apr. 2025
The faithful, even before the death of Pope Francis, have been flocking into the city’s holy sites: its four papal basilicas, its countless smaller churches.
—Jason Farago, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for holy
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.
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 May 2025
Although the proximate cause of the Crimean War in the mid-19th century was a dispute between Russia and the Ottoman Empire over control of Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, historians also attribute the conflict to geopolitical rivalries and imperial ambitions.
—Scott Neuman, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025
Unquestionably, the holy sites were the most important piece, but food is easier ...
—Sarah Schutte, National Review, 27 Apr. 2025
The faithful, even before the death of Pope Francis, have been flocking into the city’s holy sites: its four papal basilicas, its countless smaller churches.
—Jason Farago, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for holy
Cite this Entry
“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share