Meaning & use
sacred
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparablereligion
Connected with God or a religion and treated with deep respect.
Grammar: Before a noun or after be: a sacred site.
Patterns
- sacred to someone
The river is sacred to millions of people.
They entered the sacred temple quietly.
The monk kept a sacred text.
adjectivecomparablefigurative
So important that it must be respected and not harmed.
Grammar: Used figuratively for values, promises.
Patterns
- hold something sacred
Privacy is sacred in our family.
She held her promise sacred.
The library was their sacred refuge.
Word forms
| comparative | more sacred |
|---|---|
| superlative | most sacred |
Common combinations
- sacred ground
- Battlefields are sacred ground.
- sacred text
- The Bible is a sacred text.
- hold sacred
- They hold family dinners sacred.
- sacred duty
- Protecting children is a sacred duty.
Synonyms and how they differ
- holy
- Closer to God or divine goodness.
- hallowed
- Made holy, often by long tradition.
- sacrosanct
- So important it cannot be criticized or changed.
- revered
- Deeply respected, not necessarily religious.
Opposites
Word family
- sacredness noun
- the state of being sacred
- sacrifice noun
- an offering or giving up
- sacrament noun
- a holy religious rite
Commonly confused: sacred or scared?
sacred vs scared
Scared means frightened; sacred means holy.
Practice
For many people, a place of worship is a ___ space that deserves respect.
Choose one answer.
Sacred means holy and respected. Scared means frightened.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sacred”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.