1
as in holy
not to be violated, criticized, or tampered with
the sacred trust that exists between elected officials and the electorate
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2
as in divine
of, relating to, or being God
a sacred name that must not be uttered in vain
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3
as in religious
of, relating to, or used in the practice or worship services of a religion
a sacred chalice
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4
as in venerated
set apart or worthy of veneration by association with God
the sacred bones of a saint
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5
as in venerable
deserving honor and respect especially by reason of age
the alumni procession at graduation is one of the college's most sacred traditions, dating back over a hundred years
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sacred
Anand is a neurologist and the author of The Mind Electric, out in June 2025
Within the walls of a hospital, privacy is sacred—the intimate details of someone’s body and illness are meant to be as carefully guarded, as quietly delivered, as a sacramental confession.
—
Pria Anand, TIME, 18 Feb. 2025
Dozens of people were killed in a pre-dawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh in northern India last month as tens of millions of Hindus gathered to take a dip in sacred river waters on the most auspicious day of the six-week festival.
—Reuters, NBC News, 16 Feb. 2025
Steaming—a Purification Ritual Steaming is one of the most sacred wellness practices across African and Caribbean cultures.
—Stephanie Long, Essence, 15 Feb. 2025
Hindus believe that a third, mythical river called the Saraswati joins the other two there in a sacred confluence.
—Atul Loke, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sacred
Pria Anand, TIME, 18 Feb. 2025
Dozens of people were killed in a pre-dawn stampede at the Maha Kumbh in northern India last month as tens of millions of Hindus gathered to take a dip in sacred river waters on the most auspicious day of the six-week festival.
—Reuters, NBC News, 16 Feb. 2025
Steaming—a Purification Ritual Steaming is one of the most sacred wellness practices across African and Caribbean cultures.
—Stephanie Long, Essence, 15 Feb. 2025
Hindus believe that a third, mythical river called the Saraswati joins the other two there in a sacred confluence.
—Atul Loke, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sacred
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sacred
Adjective
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My search has led me to one of my holy grails: Clinique’s Moisture Surge Sheertint Hydrator.—
Melony Forcier,
People.com,
23 Feb. 2025
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With Seth Meyers had a whole holy host of Saturday Night Live writers on leading up to the anniversary special.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Others in light blue prayed for divine intervention, understanding little else could save UCLA.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2025
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Family, friends and devoted fans are currently holding a vigil outside of the Advent Health Training Center, praying for divine intervention, but the prognosis is grim.—
Mike Bianchi,
Orlando Sentinel,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Accommodations for religious observances, like Ramadan, have been impacted as well.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN,
4 Mar. 2025
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Take time to renew your spiritual or religious beliefs.—
Georgia Nicols,
The Denver Post,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The venerable travel outfitter Abercrombie & Kent recently announced the launch of A&K Private Estates, a collection of five lavish villas located in some of Tuscany’s most picturesque towns.—
Passport by ForbesLife,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
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The venerable late-night sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live is celebrating its 50th anniversary season this year.—
Eric Berger,
Ars Technica,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Bell, Danson, and Harper starred together on NBC's heavenly comedy The Good Place, created by Mike Schur, for four seasons from 2016-2020.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
EW.com,
24 Feb. 2025
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The forecast for Saturday (Feb. 22) at press time was 69 degrees and sunny, a heavenly day to try out Hollis’ barbecue for yourself, as Joe’s Holy Smoke enjoys its first day at 1515 Lee Road in Orlando.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
Orlando Sentinel,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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With Marxism tainted by its aggressive materialism, and mere democratic socialism so mere, anarchism could be imagined as a series of defiant spiritual acts.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
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Cambodia’s Art Come Home: Foreign institutions and collectors are returning artifacts with deep spiritual meaning.—
Hannah Beech,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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His progression has been superb since breaking into the first team, and those around the club feel blessed to have such a talent on their hands.—
Pol Ballús,
The Athletic,
3 Feb. 2025
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Mendez wears the blessed boxers for every game and only washes them when the team loses.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Great shows are all over From a revered NorCal hard rock band to a beloved annual harmonica blowout, there is a lot to see and do in the Bay Area this weekend.—
Randy McMullen,
The Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2025
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On Sunday, as Hezbollah members and supporters gathered at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut to bury their revered leader, Hassan Nasrallah—killed in an Israeli Air Force bombing in September—a roar rippled through the crowd.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sacred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sacred. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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