Judaism
noun
Ju·da·ism
ˈjü-dē-ˌi-zəm 
ˈjü-də-
ˈjü-(ˌ)dā-
ˈjü-də-
ˈjü-(ˌ)dā-
British also ˈjü-ˌdi-zəm
1
: a religion developed among the ancient Hebrews and characterized by belief in one transcendent God who has revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life in accordance with Scriptures and rabbinic traditions
2
: the cultural, social, and religious beliefs and practices of the Jews
3
: conformity to Jewish rites, ceremonies, and practices
4
: the whole body of Jews : the Jewish people
Examples of Judaism in a Sentence
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The English-language tour lasts about 45 minutes, covering the history of the building and the local Jewish community, as well as the open, integration-minded society that originally inspired Neolog Judaism, a type of reform Judaism, in Hungary.
—
Evan Rail, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
The greatest irony for twenty-first-century readers is that, today, ultra-Orthodox Judaism is not just alive but thriving.
—Adam Kirsch, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
The historical claim that Christianity replaced Judaism as a superior faith resulted in laws and language that persecuted Jews—and laid a foundation for white supremacy, too, a new book argues.
—Miri Rubin, The New York Review of Books, 20 Mar. 2025
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism condemned recent executive orders by the Trump administration limiting the federal recognition of gender to male and female, and banning transgender soldiers from military service.
—Rose Conlon, NPR, 12 Mar. 2025
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Evan Rail, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
The greatest irony for twenty-first-century readers is that, today, ultra-Orthodox Judaism is not just alive but thriving.
—Adam Kirsch, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025
The historical claim that Christianity replaced Judaism as a superior faith resulted in laws and language that persecuted Jews—and laid a foundation for white supremacy, too, a new book argues.
—Miri Rubin, The New York Review of Books, 20 Mar. 2025
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism condemned recent executive orders by the Trump administration limiting the federal recognition of gender to male and female, and banning transgender soldiers from military service.
—Rose Conlon, NPR, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Judaism
Cite this Entry
“Judaism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Judaism. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Judaism
noun
Ju·da·ism
ˈjüd-ə-ˌiz-əm
ˈjüd-ē-
ˈjüd-ē-
1
: a religion developed among the ancient Hebrews that stresses belief in one God and faithfulness to the laws of the Torah
2
: the beliefs and practices of the Jews
Judaic
adjective
jü-ˈdā-ik
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