holy

[ hoh-lee ]

/ ˈhoʊ li /

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See synonyms for holy on Thesaurus.com

adjective, ho·li·er, ho·li·est.

specially recognized as or declared sacred by religious use or authority; consecrated: holy ground.

dedicated or devoted to the service of God, the church, or religion: a holy man.

saintly; godly; pious; devout: a holy life.

having a spiritually pure quality: a holy love.

entitled to worship or veneration as or as if sacred: a holy relic.

religious (def. 1): holy rites.

inspiring fear, awe, or grave distress: The director, when angry, is a holy terror.

(used in certain interjections to express surprise, bewilderment, or wonder, as in holy cow and holy smoke.)

noun, plural ho·lies.

a place of worship; sacred place; sanctuary.

OTHER WORDS FOR holy

1 blessed.

4 spiritual.

See synonyms for holy on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR holy

3, 4 corrupt, impious.

See antonyms for holy on Thesaurus.com

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of holy

First recorded before 900; Middle English holi, Old English hālig, variant of hāleg, equivalent to hāl whole + -eg -y¹; cognate with Dutch, German heilig, Old Norse heilagr

synonym study for holy

1. Holy, sacred, consecrated, hallowed imply possession of a sanctity that is the object of religious veneration. Holy refers to the divine, that which has its sanctity directly from God or is connected with Him: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Something that is sacred, while sometimes accepted as entitled to religious veneration, may have its sanctity from human authority: a sacred oath. Something that is consecrated is specially or formally dedicated to some religious use: a life consecrated to service. Something that is hallowed has been made holy by being worshiped: a hallowed shrine.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH holy

holey, holy , wholly

Words nearby holy

holster, Holston, holt, Holter monitor, holus-bolus, holy, Holy Alliance, Holy Bible, holy bread, holy cats, Holy City

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use holy in a sentence

Working through WhatsApp rumor mills, these groups lay siege to highways, stop vans transporting cows to cattle fairs and slaughterhouses — beef is seen as holy by many Hindus — and assault the Muslims and Dalits in those vehicles.
American Fringes: How the Media Makes it Worse|Nick Fouriezos|September 7, 2020|Ozy
As long as we’re embodied beings, processing the world through our senses, there will be no holier grail than making sure that what those senses register is pleasurable.
Solarpunk Is Growing a Gorgeous New World in the Cracks of the Old One|Carin Ism|September 6, 2020|Singularity Hub
I began a journey on which I met with holy men and documented varying aspects of my culture.
Lafalaise Dion Takes ESSENCE On A Personal Journey|Nandi Howard|September 4, 2020|Essence.com
The holy grail of tests may be one that is fast, easy, accurate and inexpensive and that could be used broadly — even by people at home.
New coronavirus tests promise to be faster, cheaper and easier|Jack J. Lee|August 31, 2020|Science News

The holy grail of front camera design is the under-display front camera.
Xiaomi’s “third-generation” under-display camera looks nearly invisible|Ron Amadeo|August 28, 2020|Ars Technica
The Via Dolorosa ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and is marked by nine stations of the cross.
Oops! Jesus’ Last Steps Are in the Wrong Place|Candida Moss|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“You were going to work your way into my marriage and you were going to call its new three-way shape holy” the narrator recounts.
A Novel Nearly Impossible to Review|Nicholas Mancusi|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Because holy hell was that bland, unfunny, uncomfortable, and just plain confusing.
The Biggest Bombs of 2014: ‘Sex Tape,’ Mariah Carey’s Vocals, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and More|Kevin Fallon|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And he was indicted in Israel last week on charges he plotted to blow up sites holy to Islam.
The Strange Case of the Christian Zionist Terrorist|Creede Newton|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Israelis often are amused and appalled by the crazies attracted to the Holy Land, and not only for religious reasons.
The Strange Case of the Christian Zionist Terrorist|Creede Newton|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After his death crowds flocked to his grave to touch his holy monument, till the authorities caused the church yard to be shut.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
His holy book says: There is more joy over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine just men.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
Their sin began on Holy Thursday, with so little secrecy and so bad an example, that the affair was beginning to leak out.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
The spread of the holy gospel and uninterrupted preaching went on until the return of the ambassador.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various

British Dictionary definitions for holy

holy

/ (ˈhəʊlɪ) /

adjective holier or holiest

of, relating to, or associated with God or a deity; sacred

endowed or invested with extreme purity or sublimity

devout, godly, or virtuous

holier-than-thou offensively sanctimonious or self-righteousa holier-than-thou attitude

holy terror

a difficult or frightening person
Irish informal a person who is an active gambler, womanizer, etc

noun plural -lies

a sacred place
the holy (functioning as plural) persons or things invested with holiness

Word Origin for holy

Old English hālig, hǣlig; related to Old Saxon hēlag, Gothic hailags, German heilig; see hallow

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

holy

OTHER WORDS FOR holy

OPPOSITES FOR holy

Origin of holy

synonym study for holy

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH holy

Words nearby holy

Words related to holy

How to use holy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for holy

Word Origin for holy