as in hymns
a religious song
the monks offered up a canticle at dawn on Easter morning
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of canticles
Gustave Doré, the celebrated French illustrator, did elaborate engravings for the three canticles in the mid-19th century and devoted 99 out of 135 of them to Dante Alighieri’s darkest scenes.
—
Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canticles
Noun
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Most candlelight services include familiar Christmas hymns, a short message about the birth of Jesus, and a moment of reflection as the lights dim and candles are passed.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Dec. 2025
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The film demands plenty of its cast, including singing, dancing and getting caught in rapture, set to an unconventional soundtrack based on Shaker hymns by Oscar-winning composer Daniel Blumberg.—
William Earl,
Variety,
18 Dec. 2025
Noun
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And perhaps not much more needs to be said about where one of the most iconic anthems devoted to human kindness lands anew in the current American climate, although much could.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
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Hers was the kind of salt-of-the-earth family often celebrated in the anthems of The Homeland.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Psalms of the fifth century BC posited seventy years as the standard length of a human life.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Jan. 2026
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Craig Conway) Psalms Of The People (Salim Nan Daoine) (dir.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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During the Christmas holidays, children from the village comes to sing South Tyrolean carols in exchange for sweet treats, a local tradition that’s sort of like a South Tyrolean Halloween.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
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Onscreen, contestants raced to solve word puzzles, spinning the wheel of fortune and following clues about Christmas carols.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canticles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canticles. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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