1
as in sermon
a public speech usually by a member of the clergy for the purpose of giving moral guidance or uplift
last Sunday's homily was about being kind to your neighbors
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2
as in cliche
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
a TV movie filled with the usual hokey homilies about people triumphing over life's adversities
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Recent Examples of homily
Last week, the pontiff skipped his homily during Palm Sunday Mass.
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Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2024
Archbishop of Baltimore William Lori gave a homily before Walker introduced the six minutes of silence.
—Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2024
An announcer then said on Vatican Radio that Francis decided not to read the homily.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2024
An announcer on Vatican Radio then said the pope had decided to not read the homily.
—Philip Pullella, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for homily 
Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2024
Archbishop of Baltimore William Lori gave a homily before Walker introduced the six minutes of silence.
—Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2024
An announcer then said on Vatican Radio that Francis decided not to read the homily.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2024
An announcer on Vatican Radio then said the pope had decided to not read the homily.
—Philip Pullella, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for homily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for homily
Noun
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At a Sunday service just two days after the hurricane, Burke heard a sermon about community service.Alaa Elassar, CNN, 26 Nov. 2024
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Black pastors often gave sermons that could be heard loud and clear through the many small Black churches.Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
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According to Nate, what makes working with Marielle satisfying isn’t just her determination to avoid the cliche, but her willingness to look for the best idea up until the last possible minute.Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 3 Dec. 2024
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Of the many threadbare cliches passed down among wine lovers, the idea that white wines do not merit aging is among the most egregious.Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Prejudices Today: Can recite political platitudes and career ambitions with ease.Alex Baia, The New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2024
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Nathanson plumps the story with platitudes and moments that could lead to, well, more franchising.Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The two-dimensional characters communicate in bromides; Lena’s fellow privates, who suffer from the laziest defining characteristics (coarse Southern gal, proper preacher’s daughter, New Yorker), are the worst offenders.Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024
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In place of triumph-of-the-human-spirit bromides, though, what the book delivers is its own kind of cinema, harsh and true.New York Times, New York Times, 8 July 2024
Noun
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Barton appears to enjoy juxtaposing the banality of Helen’s life as a wife and mother—flawlessly hosting her husband’s holiday work party, sticking jewels on a crown for a Nativity costume—with the extravagant action of her secret life.Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024
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The language of war ranges from the tired banalities of militarist rhetoric to visceral combinations of horror, tenderness, and irony that produce memorable evocations of modern combat.Karen Parker Lears, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
Noun
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What’s Great About It Water quickly evaporates from the surface Low maintenance Elevated appearance What Could Be Better Grooves can trip you up As the saying goes, out with the old and in with the new.Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2025
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As the saying goes, great things come in small packages.Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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That said, there are guideposts and truisms that will give many savers a good shot at getting it right, experts said.Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2025
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Against the old truism that translators have unfair leverage over others, these three novels reveal the powerlessness of the translator.Irina Dumitrescu, The Dial, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
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But remember, where there’s fire, there’s smoke, which may be a reversal of the standard proverb but is highly relevant here.Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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To paraphrase an old proverb, the best time to connect the fights for trans and reproductive rights was decades ago.Colleen Hamilton, Them, 4 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Homily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/homily. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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