1
as in pious
showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue
the holy monk spent many hours on his knees in prayer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sacred
set apart or worthy of veneration by association with God
the Torah contains the holy writings of Judaism
Synonyms & Similar Words
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3
as in divine
of, relating to, or being God
the Holy Trinity
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in pure
not to be violated, criticized, or tampered with
the hour every Saturday she listens to her radio program is holy and you'd better not make her miss it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of holy
He was extremely learned—fluent Latin and a sound grasp of Greek—and went on annual pilgrimages to Medjugorje and other holy places devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
—
Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Iranian missiles have fallen near Jerusalem’s holiest sites, raising the risk of igniting a broader religious conflict across the Middle East.
—Marissa Newman, Bloomberg, 24 Mar. 2026
Mamdani has attended and posted from iftar dinners to mark the end of the daily fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
—Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 23 Mar. 2026
The neighboring Southeast Asian countries have been fighting over Preah Vihear temple on and off for decades, and that's putting the ancient holy site in danger.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for holy
Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Iranian missiles have fallen near Jerusalem’s holiest sites, raising the risk of igniting a broader religious conflict across the Middle East.
—Marissa Newman, Bloomberg, 24 Mar. 2026
Mamdani has attended and posted from iftar dinners to mark the end of the daily fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
—Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 23 Mar. 2026
The neighboring Southeast Asian countries have been fighting over Preah Vihear temple on and off for decades, and that's putting the ancient holy site in danger.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for holy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holy
Adjective
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In addition to the pious, persevering Goma and flawed Chandravati in the mortal realm, in the divine realm there are the goddesses Sati and her reincarnation as Parvati.—
Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
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In theory, their story ought to have enough drama to satisfy both pious and secular tastes.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Assistant Director of the welfare office shoved two women aside in order to rush over and protect sacred Cook County property.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
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But the hotel offers plenty of experiences to get to know the area, from countryside tours in a vintage VW convertible to blessing ceremonies at one of Ubud’s oldest sacred sites.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Whether in this world or whisked away from it, there Nancy was, close to the divine presence.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
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Scientific inquiry could be pathway to the divine Adam Hincks, a Jesuit priest who teaches at the University of Toronto and serves as an adjunct scholar at the Vatican Observatory, believes that for some, contemplating dark matter and dark energy could elevate their minds to God.—
Deepa Bharath,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Tobolowsky previously rejected motions from other Gateway elders, ruling that the suit was not a religious issue and could be handled in secular court.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
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Officials in these countries have argued that the Brotherhood operates through a mix of religious outreach, political activism, charitable organizations and media platforms to influence public opinion and challenge state authority.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The Kimbell show foregrounds how these works were used in the devotional and liturgical life of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.—
Sarah Kozlowski,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Mar. 2026
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The community is guided by a liturgical calendar, which Prince explains makes every day feel like a sacred moment.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For countless generations, humanity’s skyward gaze has revealed a heavenly abyss.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Mar. 2026
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Should an earthly leader be promoting a heavenly cause?—
Brett Whalen,
The Conversation,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For devout followers of BTS, or their colleagues in groups like Blackpink and Stray Kids, sales figures and stream counts are not neutral matters of fact.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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In addition to being a hysterical actor and writer, Wilson is a devout student of reality television and hosts the podcast Bitch Sesh about the Real Housewives franchise.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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British talk show host Graham Norton, who has had Swift as a guest on his program, claimed to have garnered an invite to the blessed event.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
29 Jan. 2026
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Ayatollah Khamenei personally ‘blessed’ Nouri al-Maliki’s nomination.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holy. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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