hallowed
Americanadjective
adjective
-
set apart as sacred
-
consecrated or holy
Synonym Usage
See holy.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hallowed
First recorded before 900; Middle English halwed; Old English (ge)halgod; see hallow + -ed 2
Explanation
The adjective hallowed is used to describe something that is sacred and revered, usually something old and steeped in tradition. The word hallowed often has a religious connotation, but it can also be used playfully to convey a sense of reverence about something that isn’t religious in nature but that nonetheless inspires worship. A football fan, for example, may talk about the hallowed tradition of tailgating on a game day Saturday, or an avid shopper may describe the hallowed grounds of the Macy’s shoe department. In the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln used the word with its more traditional sense to ponder man's inability to show the proper reverence to those men who died in battle: "But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate…we cannot consecrate…we cannot hallow…this ground."
Vocabulary lists containing hallowed
Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech (1963)
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A Midsummer Night's Dream
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "H"
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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.
“I’m really excited to wear the sacred bratty curls and the hallowed hoop skirt,” Alaska said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
Today we take the hallowed status of “My Neighbor Totoro” for granted.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
The 60-year-old Azteca, which hosts the opening game of the 2026 World Cup on Thursday, is a hallowed name across the soccer universe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
The final one of the Ellas - Ella Stevens - started racing when she was just six and has since followed in hallowed racing steps.
From BBC ● May 21, 2026
He answered in a whisper too, as if his writing had become something hallowed and had made the room itself sacrosanct.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
