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
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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
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3
as in divine
of, relating to, or being God
the Holy Trinity
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of holy
This picture taken on May 19, 2023 shows monk Pallegama Hemarathana, the chief custodian of the ancient bodhi tree, showing newly sprouting leaves of the holy tree at Sri Maha Bodhi temple in Anuradhapura.
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CBS News, 11 May 2026
Adaptogens like ashwagandha, reishi, turmeric and holy basil are turning up in serums, masks and moisturizers for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 7 May 2026
Ashwagandha, reishi, turmeric and holy basil now appear in serums, masks and moisturizers for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
Hello from the Milken conference in Beverly Hills, the birthplace and holy temple of confidence men.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for holy
CBS News, 11 May 2026
Adaptogens like ashwagandha, reishi, turmeric and holy basil are turning up in serums, masks and moisturizers for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 7 May 2026
Ashwagandha, reishi, turmeric and holy basil now appear in serums, masks and moisturizers for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2026
Hello from the Milken conference in Beverly Hills, the birthplace and holy temple of confidence men.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for holy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holy
Adjective
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Maria, austere and deeply pious, runs the business with an iron hand, obsessed with making the family’s origins forgotten.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
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As Mildred Layton, the pious pastor’s wife first played on screen by Kristin Chenoweth, Ana Gasteyer is in her element.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Blending sacred rituals and cultural heritage with theatrical pageantry, Indian weddings can serve as a vibrant showcase of the country’s soft power.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
21 May 2026
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The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial on the grounds of our Massachusetts State House in Boston stands as a sacred reminder of sacrifice.—
Steven G. Xiarhos,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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This may seem in stark opposition to the aforementioned acoustic piety, but these dueling approaches form a beautiful medley of opposites, placing all things human right alongside all things divine, as Christophe attempts to ascertain the nature of both.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
19 May 2026
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Roughly nine hours west of Cairo, Siwa is known for salt pools, palm groves and the Oracle of Ammon, where Alexander the Great is said to have been declared divine.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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Many, though not all, Shiites support Hezbollah, as do Lebanese from other religious groups.—
Rania Abouzeid,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
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Hunting, gathering, and ceremonies connected to the Brunot lands are integral to Ute religious and cultural life, with the Ute people historically returning to familiar hunting and gathering areas year after year.—
Shaun Chapoose,
Denver Post,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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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
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Although the pope celebrates mass regularly on Sundays, feast days, and many other occasions, the Urbi et Orbi blessing is much rarer, reserved for solemn events in the church’s liturgical calendar.—
Leo XIV,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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My Costa Rican Hammam Experience included a vigorous scrub-down on a marble slab in the steamy hammam that used a Costa Rican coffee bean exfoliator for a local twist, followed by a heavenly massage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
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Harnessing the period drama expertise of Banijay’s Diagonal and its key crew, the crossover of historical thriller and arthouse social point film, tense at times and gorgeously shot, played off the heavenly mountains and a historical hell.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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The series written by Tolkien, a devout Catholic, became a popular franchise with conservatives.—
Alexander Hall,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
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There are other surprises in store for even the most devout Frankenthaler fans.—
Grace Edquist,
Vogue,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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On Good Friday, there was a Yankees Opening Day game played in the afternoon hours, which coincided with this most blessed holiday.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
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April is a blessed month for genre fans, because as well as Thrash, Netflix is gifting us with another potentially-awesome-but-likely-terrible film with the survival thriller Apex, which premieres on April 24.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holy. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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