1
as in habit
a usual manner of behaving or doing
her morning ritual is to enjoy a bracing cup of coffee while reading the newspaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ceremony
an oft-repeated action or series of actions performed in accordance with tradition or a set of rules
a ritual that the ancient peoples of that country believed would bring rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in ceremonial
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of ritual
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
The film uses one man’s late life as an elegy for a disappearing Canarian way of being, its rituals, its rootedness, its relationship to the land.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 19 June 2026
Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2026
With almost tai chi–like precision, Roth embraced softness, ritual, and fluidity as forms of power, evoking a lineage of feminine influence rooted not in force but in elegance, psychological command, and presence.
—Thomas Rom, ARTnews.com, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ritual
Noun
The church’s punishment, however, delivered in front of the congregants, is an eerie ritual performed by a gaunt, severe visitor (Nicholas Hope).
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
The film uses one man’s late life as an elegy for a disappearing Canarian way of being, its rituals, its rootedness, its relationship to the land.
—Callum McLennan, Variety, 19 June 2026
Adjective
Those remains bore the marks of a skilled woodsman and ritual sadist.
—Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2026
With almost tai chi–like precision, Roth embraced softness, ritual, and fluidity as forms of power, evoking a lineage of feminine influence rooted not in force but in elegance, psychological command, and presence.
—Thomas Rom, ARTnews.com, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ritual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ritual
Noun
-
Chiron moving into Taurus wants to reshape your habits.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
-
These small habits keep the closet lean with almost no effort.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
The chairs for 3,000 attendees at the opening ceremony on June 18 magically cleared overnight, making way for DJ sets, dancing and a long line to take a picture with the statue of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
-
But what about the actual ceremony?—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
An orange and blue sea migrated north to City Hall to continue the ceremonial commemorations.—
Amina Kilpatrick,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
-
The ceremonial throw was part of a visit by some of the Team England players to Kauffman Stadium.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
The boy died during practice runs at Mason Motocross in Mason County on Sunday morning, CBS affiliate WOWK reported.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
-
The Chiefs’ 2026 tight end room is crowded, so Pline’s most likely path could be finding a home on the team’s practice squad.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
23 June 2026
Noun
-
Religious and traditional leaders, who oversee burial and funeral rites, are often the most trusted voices in their communities.—
Katherine Marshall,
STAT,
12 June 2026
-
Most recently in 2012, the Vatican stated that even if the Latter-day Saint baptismal rite refers to the Trinity, the church’s beliefs about the identities of the three are so different from Catholic and mainline Christian beliefs that the rite cannot be regarded as a Christian baptism.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Vatican authorized Esperanto for liturgical use decades ago, and Radio Vaticana still publishes news and papal updates in Esperanto online three times a week.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
-
Leo presided over the service sitting off to the side of the altar on a white throne, wearing his formal red cape and liturgical stole and praying with a Rosary in his hands.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Artists and couturiers are fond of the whimsy of trompe l’oeil, the trick of the eye, the illusion of reality.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
Cohesion is the trick, and color does most of the work.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
Also, banks with a presence in North Carolina — including Wells Fargo and Bank of America — won’t open to customers in observance of the national holiday.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
18 June 2026
-
United States stock markets will be closed on Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ritual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ritual. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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