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
Relevance
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in divine
of, relating to, or being God
the Holy Trinity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of holy
Don't Buy a Single-Basket Air Fryer An air fryer is my holy grail in feeding my family of seven.
—
Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 7 July 2025
Cash flow is king, and equity is the holy grail at the end of your quest.
—Thomas Burgess, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Three years of consistent use later, this has become my holy grail beauty product.
—People Staff, People.com, 11 July 2025
The amphitheater holding Christ’s holy militia looks like a gigantic rose.
—Mary Jo Bang
july 9, Literary Hub, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for holy
Chaunie Brusie, Parents, 7 July 2025
Cash flow is king, and equity is the holy grail at the end of your quest.
—Thomas Burgess, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Three years of consistent use later, this has become my holy grail beauty product.
—People Staff, People.com, 11 July 2025
The amphitheater holding Christ’s holy militia looks like a gigantic rose.
—Mary Jo Bang
july 9, Literary Hub, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for holy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holy
Adjective
-
In 1796, the passage was reportedly the site of a miracle: an image of the Virgin Mary was allegedly seen moving her eyes, attracting pious Christians from around the city.—
Sarah Gearhart,
Outside Online,
28 July 2025
-
Jill’s teenage son Brad (George Ferrier) is just as calculating, if not nearly as savvy, pressuring his pious girlfriend Abby (Madison Wolfe) for a repeat of their prom-night hookup while pursuing other partners.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
Many locals consider the primates to be sacred guardians of the spiritual site, which dates back to around the 10th or 11th century, according to the WSJ.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
30 July 2025
-
Alkire is the third chairperson to lead the tribe's ongoing and high-profile fight against the Enbridge Dakota Access Pipeline, citing threats to sacred land and water.—
Maggie McGrath,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
However, the price of this resurrection is horrifying: the ritual requires numerous human sacrifices, with each victim selected for specific body parts that will complete the divine vessel.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
25 July 2025
-
It was followed by a beautiful, and divine, panna cotta.—
Liza B. Zimmerman,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
Denise Irene Roberts, 61, of Santa Clara is accused of burning a Nativity scene and other religious displays outside Christ Church North Bay in Novato on July 12.—
Cameron Macdonald,
Mercury News,
25 July 2025
-
Along the roadway, trucks mounted with huge speakers played pounding religious music set to bass-heavy beats, making the ground tremble.—
Aishwarya S. Iyer,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
Cromlix has recently introduced a whole bath time ritual which includes having your bath drawn for you, laden with heavenly essential oils, a relaxing playlist pumped into the expansive bathrooms and LED candles softly lighting the room.—
Felicity Carter,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
-
This is the nature of heavenly bliss: to be happy with one’s lot and never look back.—
Mary Jo Bang
July 9,
Literary Hub,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Nikki Glaser, who has attended 22 Eras Tour concerts and been a devout Swiftie, introduced the singer's award.—
Bryan West,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
-
The mixture of the spectacular Spidey elements will wow web-slinger fans from young children to seniors and the average MCU watcher to devout comic readers and collectors.—
Scott King,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
Adjective
-
Who would speak ill about a child that has had dozens of surgeries and is so blessed to even be here with us today?—
John Lawson,
Essence,
9 July 2025
-
Caliendo shared a bunch of photos from the blessed day on his Instagram account.—
Pete Grathoff
July 3,
Kansas City Star,
3 July 2025
Adjective
-
His surviving works — just over 30 in all — form a kind of visual music or poetry: reverent, revelatory.—
Jerry Saltz,
Vulture,
2 July 2025
-
Elena holds her headstrong, intellectually gifted friend Lila in reverent admiration, but the girls’ paths diverge when Lila, who cannot afford to continue her education, marries an abusive man, while Elena goes to university and becomes a writer.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holy. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share