Bible Belt

noun

: an area chiefly in the southern U.S. whose inhabitants are believed to hold uncritical allegiance to the literal accuracy of the Bible
broadly : an area characterized by ardent religious fundamentalism
Bible Belter noun
… he was positively apoplectic over the notion of his editorial policy being dictated by a handful of Bible Belters. Jim Murray

Examples of Bible Belt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Jeff Iorg, the longtime president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s only seminary outside of the denomination’s historic Bible Belt heartland, is the incoming president and CEO of the denomination’s Executive Committee. Peter Smith, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024 White Christian nationalists created an unlivable hellscape for their Black neighbors, one that remains visible in Bible Belt communities today. William Horne / Made By History, TIME, 17 Oct. 2024 Grant, a North Carolina native, dressed in drag for the first time in 2019, and released her first album under her new identity, Bible Belt Baby, in 2022. Spin Contributor, SPIN, 10 Oct. 2024 Brazil’s Bible Belt The energized conservative vote helped Bolsonaro compensate, at least in part, for several headwinds working against his reelection bid. Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2022 Riding a successful summer, Blake decided to submit Bible Belt Baby for consideration for Best Contemporary Christian Album at this year’s Grammy Awards. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2023 Released in October via Glam & Glory Records on her debut studio album Bible Belt Baby, the cut debuts at No. 20 on the Christian Digital Song Sales chart. Xander Zellner, Billboard, 9 Aug. 2023 In 2016, Arkansas became the first Bible Belt state to approve medical marijuana, with voters approving a legalization measure. Andrew Demillo, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Oct. 2022 After all, you don’t get elected twice as governor of Deep South, Bible Belt South Carolina as a woman with dark skin and a Sikh background by happenstance. Issac J. Bailey, CNN, 14 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Bible Belt was in 1924

Dictionary Entries Near Bible Belt

Cite this Entry

“Bible Belt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bible%20Belt. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!