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
An announcer on Vatican Radio then said the pope had decided to not read the homily.
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Philip Pullella, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
On Palm Sunday — a week before Easter — millions around the globe watched as Francis, at the last minute, decided to forgo delivery of his homily.
—Anthony Faiola, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
The Vatican gave no immediate explanation for why the pope skipped the homily.
—Philip Pullella, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
As tens of thousands of faithful holding palm fronds in St. Peter’s Square looked on, the moment arrived in the Palm Sunday Mass for Pope Francis to deliver his homily in a service marking the beginning of Holy Week, one of the most demanding and significant on the Christian calendar.
—Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for homily 
Philip Pullella, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
On Palm Sunday — a week before Easter — millions around the globe watched as Francis, at the last minute, decided to forgo delivery of his homily.
—Anthony Faiola, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2024
The Vatican gave no immediate explanation for why the pope skipped the homily.
—Philip Pullella, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
As tens of thousands of faithful holding palm fronds in St. Peter’s Square looked on, the moment arrived in the Palm Sunday Mass for Pope Francis to deliver his homily in a service marking the beginning of Holy Week, one of the most demanding and significant on the Christian calendar.
—Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for homily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for homily
Noun
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Slate says that, in 1905, an issue of The Cambrian, a magazine for Welsh Americans, featured an anecdote involving a priest who, following a service, pulled a clerk aside to ask whether his sermon had been long enough.David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
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Stanley addressed Mohler near the beginning of his sermon.John Blake, CNN, 3 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Because, ultimately, there is no success (without struggle), there is no sunshine without rain, all the cliches.Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 16 Nov. 2024
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The production’s simplicity ditched the cliches that have accumulated around the play over decades.Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Her tenure in the U.S. Senate was marked by support for standard-issue progressive platitudes.Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 15 Nov. 2024
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That platitude won’t make any motivational posters, but the point is fair.Matt Gelb, The Athletic, 6 Aug. 2024
Noun
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The recession generated populist revolts on the right (the Tea Party movement) and the left (the Occupy movement), and made what had appeared to be broad public acceptance of pro-market bromides seem like an illusion.Nicholas Lemann, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
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Antihistamines to reduce the body's immune response (e.g., diphenhydramine) Bronchodilators to further open the airways (e.g., albuterol or an ipratropium bromide and albuterol combination) Insect Stings Allergic reactions and anaphylaxis are caused by exposure to an allergen.Daniel More, Health, 24 Oct. 2024
Noun
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None capture the awkward banality of the candidate’s actual campaign stop.Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2024
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This is about the banality of everyday life, about people merely following trends without thought.Reece Rogers, WIRED, 3 Mar. 2024
Noun
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The saying may as well apply to the form of the bio-musical itself.Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024
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This is the most famous folklore predictor and there are many sayings about woolly worms.Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Jelani Cobb an hour ago Kamala Harris’s Fourth Quarter Photograph by Kevin Lamarque / Reuters An old sports truism holds that defense wins championships.The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
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Illustration: Sam Whitney; Getty Images Cybersecurity truisms have long been described in simple terms of trust: Beware email attachments from unfamiliar sources, and don't hand over credentials to a fraudulent website.Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 31 May 2021
Noun
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And this proverb reminds me of hip-hop, and this proverb reminds me, in particular, of Tribe because Tribe was born out of friendship.Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2024
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This old Iranian proverb does not actually warn people against travel to Gilan, Iran’s beautiful, green, and lush Caspian province, though today that meaning may be more apt.Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2020
Thesaurus Entries Near homily
Cite this Entry
“Homily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/homily. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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