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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of homily
Of course there is, although thankfully there’s not too much heavy-handedness to the script’s inherent homilies about fake news and American authoritarianism not just being a byproduct of the 1930s.
—
Chris Willman, Variety, 16 June 2024
Last week, the pontiff skipped his homily during Palm Sunday Mass.
—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
See all Example Sentences for homily 
Chris Willman, Variety, 16 June 2024
Last week, the pontiff skipped his homily during Palm Sunday Mass.
—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
See all Example Sentences for homily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for homily
Noun
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Other Republicans joined the attack, with one congressman calling for her deportation (she was born in New Jersey) and 21 others cosponsoring a resolution condemning the sermon.—
Joe Guillen,
Axios,
6 Feb. 2025
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Grim Tale The pastor, who had known the bride since elementary school, began his sermon with a sentimental note about the church bells ringing before the service.—
Raul A. Reyes,
Newsweek,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Ditch the cliches to accelerate intimacy in new creative ways, like incorporating sensory experiences.—
Dominique Fluker,
Essence,
14 Feb. 2025
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All those cliches about teamwork and belief and optimism?—
Jon Wertheim,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Typically, the focus is on court operations and budget — the number of cases handled, number of cases resolved, and so on — with occasional platitudes about access to justice.—
Steve Zeidman,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2025
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Many of their remarks were vague and filled with typical management platitudes, but below are some of the snippets of conversation that caught my attention over two days of schmoozing with watch executives employed by one of the most powerful groups in the industry.—
Victoria Gomelsky,
Robb Report,
29 Jan. 2025
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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And banality – well, that has a little bit to do with the uncanny valley.—
John Werner,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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The banality of state terror infecting common lives is what makes The Seed of the Sacred Fig so recognizable.—
Armond White,
National Review,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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As the old saying goes, the best defence is a good offence.—
Allan Mitchell,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
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As the old saying goes: When life gives you lemons, make Whiskey Sours.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The other truisms included creating a feeling that there was activity in the office and connecting workers by having sightlines of visibility throughout.—
Anna Butler,
Boston Herald,
18 Aug. 2024
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This has been a truism around the Bulls since the organization drafted him in 2020.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The German proverb, roughly translated into English, means: Steady dripping caves the stone.—
Gabby Herzig,
The Athletic,
2 Jan. 2025
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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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Cite this Entry
“Homily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/homily. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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