as in hymn
a religious song
the monks offered up a canticle at dawn on Easter morning
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Recent Examples of canticle
That’s the opening line of Slipknot’s rage-rot canticle.
—
Spin Contributor, SPIN, 12 Feb. 2025
Her vocal elevates the song far beyond even its folk roots to something far more traditional, a canticle, a spiritual.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Her vocal elevates the song far beyond even its folk roots to something far more traditional, a canticle, a spiritual.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
That’s the opening line of Slipknot’s rage-rot canticle.
—Spin Contributor, SPIN, 12 Feb. 2025
The leaders of this communal canticle were the women of Boygenius — Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2023
The first was Bach’s glorious 12-part canticle, premiered in 1723 as the conclusion of the Christmas Vespers in Leipzig as a sort of meet-your-new-cantor demonstration of his powers.
—Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2021
For many students of Dante, Purgatory is the Divine Comedy’s central canticle poetically, philosophically, and psychologically.
—Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2021
Ancestor Glade is home to a rare canticle tree, the bark of which attracts a whisper of moths to aid you in deciphering an ancient Elder Scroll.
—Cian Maheer, Washington Post, 4 June 2019
Spin Contributor, SPIN, 12 Feb. 2025
Her vocal elevates the song far beyond even its folk roots to something far more traditional, a canticle, a spiritual.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Her vocal elevates the song far beyond even its folk roots to something far more traditional, a canticle, a spiritual.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
That’s the opening line of Slipknot’s rage-rot canticle.
—Spin Contributor, SPIN, 12 Feb. 2025
The leaders of this communal canticle were the women of Boygenius — Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2023
The first was Bach’s glorious 12-part canticle, premiered in 1723 as the conclusion of the Christmas Vespers in Leipzig as a sort of meet-your-new-cantor demonstration of his powers.
—Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2021
For many students of Dante, Purgatory is the Divine Comedy’s central canticle poetically, philosophically, and psychologically.
—Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2021
Ancestor Glade is home to a rare canticle tree, the bark of which attracts a whisper of moths to aid you in deciphering an ancient Elder Scroll.
—Cian Maheer, Washington Post, 4 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canticle
Noun
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Dawn, a teen mom who worked hard to pay for her daughter’s braces and loved to sing hymns, suffered from borderline personality disorder, depression and alcoholism, according to her family.—
Sam Gillette,
People.com,
29 May 2025
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The event included hymns, readings and a picnic—a celebration of both the soldiers’ sacrifice and the newfound freedom of the formerly enslaved.—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Noun
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Brian Wilson passed away at the age of 82, leaving behind a legacy of feel-good pop anthems and groundbreaking studio techniques.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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Even though her son doesn't enjoy her music that much, Aultman loves that her millennial mom anthem can bring a smile to so many people.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
Noun
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The funeral of Pope Francis began with a short musical chant and psalm spoken in Latin after an open Book of the Gospels had been placed on top of Pope Francis’ closed coffin carried by pallbearers from inside St. Peter’s and placed on a red carpet on the edge of the church steps.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2025
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The faithful will recite several religious verses, including psalm 22, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd,’ during the service.—
Caitlin Danaher,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Canticle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canticle. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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