holier; holiest
1
: exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness
2
: divine
for the Lord our God is holy—
Psalms 99:9 (King James Version)
Psalms 99:9 (King James Version)3
: devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity
a holy temple
holy prophets
4
a
: having a divine quality
holy love
b
: venerated as or as if sacred
holy scripture
a holy relic
5
—used as an intensive
this is a holy mess
he was a holy terror when he drank—Thomas Wolfe
—often used in combination as a mild oathThomas Wolfeholy smoke
Examples of holy in a Sentence
a holy relic worn by one of the saints
the holy monk spent many hours on his knees in prayer
Recent Examples on the Web
There is an incredible world-class collection that would seem like a holy grail, but underneath, a whole family portrait of pain is unboxed.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 14 Nov. 2024
What to wear: Since this is a holy place of prayer, visitors who identify as women are expected to be in modest dress, including a head covering and loose-fitting garments that cover from the neck to the ankle.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 4 Nov. 2024
As with any good Southern tradition, part of what makes football season so holy is the food.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2024
Despite their best efforts, Ainslie and Ratcliff have failed to win the cup twice in nearly 10 years of pursuing sailing’s holy grail.
—George Allen, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for holy 
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Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 14 Nov. 2024
What to wear: Since this is a holy place of prayer, visitors who identify as women are expected to be in modest dress, including a head covering and loose-fitting garments that cover from the neck to the ankle.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 4 Nov. 2024
As with any good Southern tradition, part of what makes football season so holy is the food.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2024
Despite their best efforts, Ainslie and Ratcliff have failed to win the cup twice in nearly 10 years of pursuing sailing’s holy grail.
—George Allen, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for holy
Dictionary Entries Near holy
Cite this Entry
“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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