pilgrimage
Americannoun
-
a journey, especially a long one, made to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion.
a pilgrimage to Lourdes.
-
Islam.
-
any long journey, especially one undertaken as a quest or for a votive purpose, as to pay homage.
a pilgrimage to the grave of Shakespeare.
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a journey to a shrine or other sacred place
-
a journey or long search made for exalted or sentimental reasons
verb
Synonym Usage
See trip 1.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
pilgrimagesimple
-
pilgrimagessimple
-
have pilgrimagedperfect
-
has pilgrimagedperfect
-
am pilgrimagingprogressive
-
are pilgrimagingprogressive
-
is pilgrimagingprogressive
-
have been pilgrimagingperfect progressive
-
has been pilgrimagingperfect progressive
Past
-
pilgrimagedsimple
-
had pilgrimagedperfect
-
was pilgrimagingprogressive
-
were pilgrimagingprogressive
-
had been pilgrimagingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of pilgrimage
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English pilegrimage ( see pilgrim, -age); replacing earlier pelrimage, alteration of Old French pelerinage
Explanation
A pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place. People make pilgrimages to places like Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Dharamsala as part of their religious or spiritual practice. A pilgrimage is often a spiritual journey, but some pilgrimages deal with other kinds of devotion. For example, fans often visit the places that are — or were — significant to their heroes. Every August 16th, Elvis Presley fans from around the country make a pilgrimage to his famous former home, Graceland, to commemorate the anniversary of his death.
Vocabulary lists containing pilgrimage
"Beowulf," Vocabulary from the epic poem
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Human Geography - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
World Religions
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Then on Thursday, Khamenei will be buried at the Imam Reza Shrine, the mausoleum of Shia Islam's eighth imam and Iran's most important pilgrimage site, in Mashhad.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
If his beloved Inter Milan won the Italian championship and rival AC Milan failed to qualify for the European Champions League, he would go on a religious pilgrimage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
The audience for this kind of posting is not Europeans who might now consider a pilgrimage from Brussels to Buc-ee’s.
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026
Bessent added Washington would halt Iranian airlines' access to landing slots, refuelling and ticket sales, while allowing travel for religious pilgrimage and humanitarian reasons.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
Aunty Ifeoma wanted to go on pilgrimage to Aokpe.
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
They’re the golden child of the produce aisle, the ingredient that inspires pilgrimages to farmers markets and endless declarations that this is the year we’ll finally grow our own.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
He reports dutifully from these pilgrimages and seems tempted to make a statement about the soul of America, but it never comes off.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026
Many visitors post online about their trip -- making pilgrimages to real-life locations from cartoons or joking about spending $1,000 on flights just so they can eat a $1 convenience store rice ball.
From Barron's ● Mar. 24, 2026
His shrine was so important that Pope Callistus II said two pilgrimages to St Davids were worth one to the Vatican.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026
Which isn't really surprising, I suppose; this was also the age of ecclesiastical mazes - which may have served as metaphors for pilgrimages to Jerusalem - such as those at Chartres and Lucca Cathedrals.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
A Chicago native, I have admittedly fond memories of post-Little League hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, and have pilgrimaged to Buena Park to sample the SoCal outpost.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2024
Veterans of World War II, many of them centenarians and likely returning to France for one last time, pilgrimaged Tuesday to what was the bloodiest of five Allied landing beaches on June 6, 1944.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 4, 2024
In avant-garde New York, one of the most pilgrimaged sites has been the “Dream House,” a sensory environment that since 1993 has occupied the third story of a walk-up on Church Street in Lower Manhattan.
From New York Times ● Apr. 17, 2024
He became their fighter and savior, and these mega-fans pilgrimaged to his concert-like rallies.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2021
At this time as he pilgrimaged he entered into the service of one Josse, surnamed the Kwaebakker, the cross baker, because of his vinegar face.
From The Legend of Ulenspiegel, Volume I (of 2) And Lamme Goedzak, and their Adventures Heroical, Joyous and Glorious in the Land of Flanders and Elsewhere by Coster, Charles Th?odore Henri de
I returned from vacation just in time to join the pilgrimaging hordes carting cumbersome picnic baskets and enough wine for a few dozen Sicilian weddings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2025
Also new is the addition of several specific barbecue trails, from urban adventuring to rural pilgrimaging.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 27, 2016
Since the days of the palmers, pilgrimaging to Jerusalem has become less and less devout, until now many people visit the Holy City with no higher motive than curiosity.
From Time Magazine Archive
If I were a stout workman, they would have robbed me of the fruit of three years’ toil by making me go pilgrimaging.
From The Legend of Ulenspiegel, Volume I (of 2) And Lamme Goedzak, and their Adventures Heroical, Joyous and Glorious in the Land of Flanders and Elsewhere by Coster, Charles Th?odore Henri de
I was introduced to all the neighbours, to the visitors and the natives, and of course invested with much importance as one who wrote books, had no fear, who even intended pilgrimaging to Jerusalem.
From A Tramp's Sketches by Graham, Stephen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
