hallowed
Americanadjective
adjective
-
set apart as sacred
-
consecrated or holy
Related Words
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.
To adapt a hallowed and revered work of this scope, across decades and generations, brimming with magical realism, was, of course, daunting for the showrunners.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
To reach the most hallowed ground in figure skating, Liu had to retire at 16, unretire two years later, and come back as an entirely different skater with an unapologetically carefree approach.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026
"It's an unbelievable story. To be in this place, it's hallowed ground."
From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026
If Thao or other victims of ICE brought suit, that is, they’d arguably be walking in hallowed footprints.
From Slate • Feb. 4, 2026
The relatively small point bonuses Art3mis, Aech, Shoto, and I had received for being the first to reach the Copper and Jade keys were what kept our names in the hallowed “High Five” slots.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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.
