pilgrimage
Americannoun
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pilgrimages
plural
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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)
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pilgrimages,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pilgrimaged,
past participle, past
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pilgrimaging
present participle
noun
-
a journey to a shrine or other sacred place
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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
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pilgrimagessimple
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have pilgrimagedperfect
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has pilgrimagedperfect
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am pilgrimagingprogressive
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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
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Human Geography - Middle School
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World Religions
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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:
Another seven died in a crash on the same pilgrimage route in October 2022.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
The aircraft reportedly took off from the Hindu pilgrimage site of Badrinath on Friday afternoon before losing contact.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
We are reminded that Siena, as a major stop on the heavily traveled pilgrimage route from Northern Europe to Rome, frequently received news of phenomena occurring elsewhere.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
The Rev. Canon Jaime Edwards-Acton of St. Stephen’s Hollywood, said the pilgrimage was to bring awareness to the people who have died at Adelanto and other facilities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
“Not that Eugene would tell me anyway, igasikwa. We can’t even have a conversation. After all, I had to use a pilgrimage to Aokpe to get him to say yes to the children’s visiting us.”
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Its presence suggests that Lady 56 may have completed one of medieval Europe's most famous pilgrimages, traveling thousands of kilometers across the continent to the western edge of Christian Europe before eventually returning home.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 27, 2026
Fans trade tips in online communities and treat new locations as pilgrimages.
From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026
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
Because of Charles’s fame, the biggest change at Down was that there were more and more visitors who made pilgrimages to meet him.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
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
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
They hiked the Alps, drew color sketches, pilgrimaged to classical Greek and Roman sites, and toured buildings by Antoni Gaudi in Spain, including the Basílica de la Sagrada Família.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 2, 2017
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 Charles Th?odore Henri de Coster
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
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 Stephen Graham
They laugh at the Britishers journeying thousands of miles to see this place, just as the English smile at the Americans pilgrimaging to Stratford-on-Avon.
From The Confessions of a Caricaturist, Vol. 2 by Harry Furniss
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