Thesaurus results for SPIRITUALS

spirituals

noun

plural of spiritual

as in hymns

a religious song sang a spiritual at the funeral

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of spirituals Delta musicians also often used call-and-response patterns, which were common in African music and were used in other blues styles and in African American sacred music, including spirituals. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 Over his career, Sykes performed in venues around the world and across genres — opera, gospel, spirituals, show tunes, folk and pop — working with figures including Renée Fleming, Terence Blanchard, Carlos Santana, Julie Andrews and Brian Wilson. — Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 This vibrant, free afternoon concert will feature a rich selection of beloved American choral favorites, including rousing gospel selections, powerful spirituals, and timeless classics that resonate across generations, a news release stated. — News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026 The music is eclectic and includes sounds associated with Islam as well as bluegrass, hymns and spirituals. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026 At Merkin Hall, Chanticleer rings in the semiquincentennial with a new work by Trevor Weston, which spotlights the legacy of African American spirituals. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026 As iconic church songs that have crossed over into secular spirituals, they were written to be memorable and singable, crowd-tested for at least a couple of generations. — David W. Stowe, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026 With elements of jazz, gospel and spirituals incorporated into the music, the song was a British homage to Black American music traditions. — Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026 America’s long struggle against racial segregation was accompanied by a righteous soundtrack of spirituals and gospel and soul music, anthems that channeled sanctified fervor into the fight for equality. — Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spirituals

Noun

The scholar of religion Friedrich Max Müller (1823–1900) noticed that many Vedic hymns praise different deities using the same superlatives and ascribe to them the same mythological feats.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Avie Lee filled the family's two-room home with music by singing hymns, folk songs and traditional mountain music.

— Devarrick Turner, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of hymns

Noun

Dolly Parton, the brilliant songwriter and beloved country singer who has died at age 80, wrote one of the great anthems of the American working class.

— John Nichols, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2026
The musical features an original score by Christopher Nightingale, Josh Cohen and DJ Walde, drawing on protest anthems, pop, rock, disco and the Welsh choral tradition.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of anthems

Noun

Psalm 23 is numbered Psalm 22 in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate because of differences in how the psalms are divided and numbered.

— Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Aug. 2026
Because the psalms were originally accompanied by instruments, scholars’ best guess is that selah was some sort of musical marking.

— Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026