as in atheistical
not showing proper reverence for the holy or sacred
a sacrilegious, obscene joke—and told in church at that!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sacrilegious
The high court ruled that states could not ban sacrilegious films.
—
Kristina M. Lee, The Conversation, 18 Oct. 2024
This might seem sacrilegious for a song that’s widely regarded as a pioneering work of electronic music.
—James Factora, Them, 2 Oct. 2024
Eisenman’s Jewish perspective is most obvious in her work of the ’90s, which approaches religious material in a way that can only be called sacrilegious.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 9 Aug. 2024
Despite feeling borderline sacrilegious, the open-air bar feels typically Niçois; the space is framed by potted olive trees and lit by twinkling fairy lights, with sweet little corners filled with candles and comfortable seating, and a chess board that is often the center of attention.
—Chloé Braithwaite, New York Times, 25 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for sacrilegious 
Kristina M. Lee, The Conversation, 18 Oct. 2024
This might seem sacrilegious for a song that’s widely regarded as a pioneering work of electronic music.
—James Factora, Them, 2 Oct. 2024
Eisenman’s Jewish perspective is most obvious in her work of the ’90s, which approaches religious material in a way that can only be called sacrilegious.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 9 Aug. 2024
Despite feeling borderline sacrilegious, the open-air bar feels typically Niçois; the space is framed by potted olive trees and lit by twinkling fairy lights, with sweet little corners filled with candles and comfortable seating, and a chess board that is often the center of attention.
—Chloé Braithwaite, New York Times, 25 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for sacrilegious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sacrilegious
Adjective
-
The publication led to global outrage, with many Muslims finding the depictions highly offensive and blasphemous.The Arizona Republic, The Arizona Republic, 30 Sep. 2024
-
Rushdie’s fourth fictional novel ran into a global controversy shortly after its publication in September 1988, as some Muslims saw passages about Prophet Muhammad as blasphemous.Reuters, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
This game must have seemed profane to the Greeks, or even impious.Simone Weil, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
-
Both narratives, private and public, differently restrict our access, so the ideal historian will need great tact and an impious curiosity.James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
Adjective
-
Questions as fun and irreverent as these are asked and answered in STAR BOUND: A Beginner’s Guide to the American Space Program, from Goddard’s Rockets to Goldilocks Planets and Everything In Between.Rebecca Coffey, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
-
For The Win's daily sports newsletter pairs the latest news from around the sports world with the smartest − yet somewhat irreverent – takes from FTW's staff.Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Christmas movies—secular and religious—are a great way to remind us that there’s more to this time of year than shopping deals and presents.Erik Kain, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
-
Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday, meaning it is not affiliated with any religion and is instead observed along with other major secular and religious holidays.Olivia Rose, The Arizona Republic, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Allen's defense team aggressively pushed their theory that Odinists, members of a pagan Norse religion hijacked by white nationalists, killed the girls during a sacrificial ritual in the woods.Kristine Phillips, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Nov. 2024
-
Defense attorneys for Allen have argued authorities arrested the wrong person and claimed that Odinism, a pagan Norse religion that has been linked to White supremacist groups, could be a theory connected to the killings, court documents show.Nicole Chavez, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near sacrilegious
Cite this Entry
“Sacrilegious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sacrilegious. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share