altar call
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of altar call
First recorded in 1945–50
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.
Like an evangelist giving an altar call, his bid is invitational in nature.
From Salon ● Mar. 9, 2026
When she was 11, she had a conversion experience during an altar call and vowed to devote herself to Christian service.
From New York Times ● Jan. 30, 2024
An altar call is a religious tradition where those who wish to make a spiritual commitment come forward.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 21, 2021
During the altar call, when the fire-and-brimstone preacher invited people to come forward and be saved, Harper’s friend tapped her on the shoulder and asked if they could go together.
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 26, 2018
The previous week, after listening to the music and the reverend’s sermon, I had walked to the front of the church during the altar call.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
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.
