Holy — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈhō-lē/ ho·ly

Meaning & Definition of Holy

Holy (adjective)

  1. exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness
  2. divine
  3. devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity

Holy (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue

    "the holy monk spent many hours on his knees in prayer"

    similar: devout, godly, pious, religious, sainted, saintly
    related: ascetic, prayerful, reverent, reverential, spiritual, worshipful, pietistic, religiose, beatified, blessed, canonized, venerable, angelic, cherubic, chaste, moral, pure, righteous, upright, virtuous
    opposite: antireligious, faithless, godless, impious, irreligious, ungodly, unholy
    near: blasphemous, desecrating, irreverent, profanatory, profane, sacrilegious, nonreligious, secular, unspiritual, worldly, backsliding, unfaithful, evil, immoral, iniquitous, miscreant, sinful, sinning, unrighteous, wicked

  2. set apart or worthy of veneration by association with God

    "the Torah contains the holy writings of Judaism"

    similar: blessed, consecrate, consecrated, hallowed, sacral, sacred, sacrosanct, sanctified
    related: adored, enshrined, glorified, revered, venerated, worshipped, ceremonial, liturgical, priestly, religious, ritual, sacramental, spiritual, biblical, scriptural
    opposite: deconsecrated, desacralized, unconsecrated, unhallowed
    near: nonreligious, unspiritual, earthly, mundane, profane, secular, temporal, worldly

  3. of, relating to, or being God

    "the Holy Trinity"

    similar: blessed, divine, godlike, godly, heavenly, sacred, supernatural
    related: eternal, everlasting, immortal, all-powerful, almighty, omnipotent, omniscient, supreme
    near: human, mortal, natural

  4. not to be violated, criticized, or tampered with

    "the hour every Saturday she listens to her radio program is holy and you'd better not make her miss it"

    similar: hallowed, inviolable, sacred, sacrosanct, unassailable, untouchable
    related: inviolate, pure, privileged, protected, secure, shielded, exempt, immune
    near: blasphemous, irreverent, profane, sacrilegious

Related Entry: Holy Writ (noun)

Holy Writ is a different word from Holy. The synonyms below are for Holy Writ, not for holy.

  1. a book made up of the writings accepted by Christians as coming from God

    "quotes extensively from Holy Writ in his sermons"

    similar: Bible, Book, Good Book, Scripture
    related: Polyglot

Related Entry: Holy Joe (noun)

Holy Joe is a different word from Holy. The synonyms below are for Holy Joe, not for holy.

  1. as in father, clergyman

    similar: churchman, clergyman, father, padre, clergyperson, cleric, clerical, clerk, deacon, divine, dominie, ecclesiastic, minister, preacher, priest, reverend, clergywoman, deaconess, priestess, abbot, archbishop, archpriest, bishop, dean, diocesan, monsignor, pope, prelate, presbyter, abbé, curate, curé, parson, pastor, rector, shepherd, vicar, chaplain, confessor, sky pilot, evangelist, missionary, missioner, missionizer, revivalist, friar, mendicant, monastic, monk, oblate, religious, high priest, high priestess
    opposite: layman, layperson, secular, lay reader, lector

Related Entry: Holy Joes (noun)

Holy Joes is a different word from Holy. The synonyms below are for Holy Joes, not for holy.

  1. as in fathers, clergymen

    similar: churchmen, clergymen, fathers, padres, clergypersons, clericals, clerics, clerks, deacons, divines, dominies, ecclesiastics, ministers, preachers, priests, reverends, clergywomen, deaconesses, priestesses, abbots, archbishops, archpriests, bishops, deans, diocesans, monsignors, popes, prelates, presbyters, abbés, curates, curés, parsons, pastors, rectors, shepherds, vicars, chaplains, confessors, sky pilots, evangelists, missionaries, missioners, missionizers, revivalists, friars, mendicants, monastics, monks, oblates, religious, high priestesses, high priests
    opposite: laymen, laypeople, seculars, lay readers, lectors

Related Entry: Holy day (noun)

Holy day is a different word from Holy. The synonyms below are for holy day, not for holy.

  1. as in feast, legal holiday

    similar: feast, legal holiday, interim, intermission, interval, idling, loafing, lounging, slacking, breather, relaxation, respite, rest, furlough, liberty, sabbatical, break, holiday (chiefly British), hols (British), leave, recess, vacation

Related Entry: Holy days (noun)

Holy days is a different word from Holy. The synonyms below are for holy days, not for holy.

  1. as in feasts, legal holidays

    similar: feasts, legal holidays, interims, intermissions, intervals, breathers, relaxations, respites, rests, furloughs, liberties, sabbaticals, breaks, holidays (chiefly British), hols (British), leaves, recesses, vacations

Related Entry: Holy grail (noun)

Holy grail is a different word from Holy. The synonyms below are for holy grail, not for holy.

  1. as in grail

    similar: grail, aim, ambition, aspiration, bourne, design, dream, end, goal, idea, ideal, intent, intention, mark, meaning, object, objective, plan, point, pretension, purpose, target, thing, plot, project, scheme, desire, hope, mind, wish, nirvana, destination, terminus
    opposite: means, method, way

Related Entry: Holy grails (noun)

Holy grails is a different word from Holy. The synonyms below are for holy grails, not for holy.

  1. as in grails

    similar: grails, aims, ambitions, aspirations, bournes, designs, dreams, ends, goals, ideals, ideas, intentions, intents, marks, meanings, objectives, objects, plans, points, pretensions, purposes, targets, things, plots, projects, schemes, desires, hopes, minds, wishes, nirvanas, destinations, termini
    opposite: means, methods, ways

Related Entry: Holy war (noun)

Holy war is a different word from Holy. The synonyms below are for holy war, not for holy.

  1. as in civil war, world war

    similar: civil war, cold war, limited war, police action, world war, conflagration, conflict, hostilities, hot war, war, action, battle, engagement, skirmish, combat, fighting, warfare
    opposite: peace, demilitarization, demobilization, disarmament, pacification, ceasefire, truce, calm, peacefulness, tranquility

Related Entry: Holy wars (noun)

Holy wars is a different word from Holy. The synonyms below are for holy wars, not for holy.

  1. as in civil wars, world wars

    similar: civil wars, cold wars, limited wars, police actions, world wars, conflagrations, conflicts, hostilities, hot wars, wars, actions, battles, engagements, skirmishes, combats, warfares
    opposite: peaces, demilitarizations, demobilizations, disarmaments, pacifications, cease-fires, truces, calms, tranquilities

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Holy

The most common words with a similar meaning to Holy:

devout, godly, pious, religious, sainted, saintly, blessed, consecrate, consecrated, hallowed, sacral, sacred, sacrosanct, sanctified, divine, godlike, heavenly, supernatural, inviolable, unassailable, untouchable

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Holy

Words with the opposite meaning of Holy:

antireligious, faithless, godless, impious, irreligious, ungodly, unholy, deconsecrated, desacralized, unconsecrated, unhallowed

Related Words for Holy

ascetic, prayerful, reverent, reverential, spiritual, worshipful, pietistic, religiose, beatified, canonized, venerable, angelic, cherubic, chaste, moral, pure, righteous, upright, virtuous, adored, enshrined, glorified, revered, venerated, worshipped, ceremonial, liturgical, priestly, ritual, sacramental

Near Antonyms of Holy

blasphemous, desecrating, irreverent, profanatory, profane, sacrilegious, nonreligious, secular, unspiritual, worldly, backsliding, unfaithful, evil, immoral, iniquitous, miscreant, sinful, sinning, unrighteous, wicked, earthly, mundane, temporal, human, mortal, natural

Word Forms of Holy

Inflections: holier, holiest

Derived words: holily (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Holy

Middle English, from Old English hālig; akin to Old English hāl whole whole

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Holy

Words & Phrases Containing Holy

holy city, Holy Communion, holy day, holy day of obligation, Holy Father, Holy Ghost, Holy Grail, Holy Joe, holy moly

Frequently Asked Questions about Holy

What does "Holy" mean?

"Holy" means exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness. As an adjective, it is defined as: exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Holy"?

Other words for "Holy" include devout, godly, pious, religious, sainted, saintly, blessed and consecrate. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Holy" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Holy"?

There are 68 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Holy". Common alternatives include devout, godly, pious, religious, sainted, saintly, blessed, consecrate, consecrated and hallowed.

What is the opposite of "Holy"?

Antonyms of "Holy" include antireligious, faithless, godless, impious, irreligious, ungodly, unholy and deconsecrated. Near antonyms include blasphemous, desecrating, irreverent and profanatory.

How do you use "Holy" in a sentence?

Examples of "Holy" in a sentence: "the holy monk spent many hours on his knees in prayer"; "the Torah contains the holy writings of Judaism"; "the Holy Trinity".

Is "Holy" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Holy" is an adjective.

Is "Holy" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Holy" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Holy"?

"Holy" is pronounced /ˈhō-lē/ and divided into syllables as ho·ly.