holiness

noun

ˈhō-lē-nəs How to pronounce holiness (audio)
Definition of holinessnext
as in spirituality
the quality or state of being spiritually pure or virtuous known throughout the world for his holiness, the prophet was visited daily by hundreds of pilgrims

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 holiness Singh, who would be our local guide, always wore the five traits of a pious Sikh man — uncut hair (symbolizing strength and holiness and topped by the identifying turban), a steel bracelet, wooden comb, sheathed dagger and a baggy undergarment dating back to the Sikhs’ warrior days on horses. — Norma Meyer, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026 For millions of people, for more than 2,000 years, the advent has represented an opportunity to reflect, to anticipate—to make holiness out of the spiritual equivalent of standing in line, to sit in stillness during the year’s darkest time and know the light is coming. — Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 18 Nov. 2025 Here, and in the show’s finale, Lipton nails a very Wilderean combination of bluntness, holiness, and dry humor. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025 This was the difference between chasing holiness and choosing wholeness. — Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez, Time, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for holiness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holiness
  1. spirituality
  2. sanctity
  3. morality
  4. godliness
  5. devotion
  6. saintliness
  7. devoutness
Noun
  • Among the artistic practices highlighted will be those that center physical science, astronomy, geology, spirituality, mythology, and abstraction.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers said participants wanted content creators, influencers and television and film producers to offer more nuanced and authentic portrayals of religion and spirituality.
    — City News Service, Daily News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of spirituality
Noun
  • The rest of the world is watching the crumbling of America’s economic relationship with its closest trading partner, and an administration that is calling into question the sanctity of free trade agreements generally.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Some, like Uthmeier, claim that use of such vaccines goes against the church’s belief in the sanctity of life.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of sanctity
Noun
  • The postliberals want to enforce a Catholic conception of the common good and morality.
    — Leonard A. Schuette, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Brothers Karamazov unfurls drama, philosophy, and morality against a vision of 19th-century Russia.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of morality
Noun
  • For Damien dirtiness brought him closer to godliness, the grime evidence of his graft.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • On both sides of the war for Gilead, usefulness is next to godliness.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026
Definition of godliness
Noun
  • In intimate letters, Harp has explained her devotion to the 80-year-old president.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Sharif said Noreen displayed exceptional courage and devotion to duty by risking her life to save the newborn moments before the nursery burned down.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of devotion
Noun
  • In the years following Wallace’s death, this aura of saintliness likely derived from the combination of his moral seriousness as a fiction writer—his attunement to the heroism of private suffering and emotional endurance—and the fact of his premature end.
    — Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of saintliness
Noun
  • If this devoutness doesn’t come easy to him, that’s the point, conveyed with surprising humor and accumulating force.
    — Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Definition of devoutness

Browse Nearby Words

holier-than-thou
holiness
holing
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Cite this Entry

“Holiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holiness. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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