sacred

sacred — adjective

1. believed to have a special link with a god or gods, and therefore treated with d

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

believed to have a special link with a god or gods, and therefore treated with deep respect and awe

Example

After a long journey, Tomás finally reached the sacred temple hidden in the mountains.

sacred + noun (temple)

The elders said the forest was sacred and should be treated with respect.

be + sacred (predicative)

Common collocations
  • sacred place
  • sacred object
  • sacred animal
  • sacred text
  • sacred ritual
  • sacred ground
Synonyms
  • holy

    stronger emphasis on pure moral and spiritual purity; often used for God or Christ directly (the Holy Spirit), while sacred is more about things set apart for religious use

  • divine

    directly from or relating to a god, rather than things merely dedicated to a god

  • hallowed

    more formal and poetic; implies something has been made holy through long tradition or religious dedication

  • consecrated

    formally declared sacred through a religious ceremony or blessing

Antonyms
  • profane

    the opposite of sacred in religious contexts; showing disrespect for holy things

  • unholy

    not holy; sinful or wicked

Grammar Patterns

sacred + noun

be + sacred

sacred + to + someone

Usage Note

Often used before a noun (sacred object, sacred place) but also commonly follows the verb be (this land is sacred). The phrase sacred to + person/group is a fixed pattern indicating whose religion or culture considers it holy.

Common Mistakes

The temple is holy and sacred in their religion.
The temple is sacred in their religion.
holy and sacred overlap in meaning; using both is redundant unless deliberately building emphasis.

2. relating to religion, worship, or religious ceremonies, as opposed to everyday o

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to religion, worship, or religious ceremonies, as opposed to everyday or non-religious life

Example

The choir performed sacred music during the evening service at the old cathedral.

collocation: sacred music

Yuna compared sacred writings from Buddhism and Christianity for her university class.

collocation: sacred writings / texts

Common collocations
  • sacred music
  • sacred text
  • sacred writings
  • sacred art
  • sacred ceremony
  • sacred object
Synonyms
  • religious

    much broader; refers to anything connected with faith, belief, or organized religion, not just objects or practices set apart as holy

  • spiritual

    focuses on the inner, personal, or non-material aspects of faith rather than formal religious practices

Antonyms
  • secular

    not connected with religious or spiritual matters

  • profane

    belonging to the ordinary world rather than the religious sphere

Grammar Patterns

sacred + noun

3. treated as so important or valuable that it must not be questioned, changed, or

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

treated as so important or valuable that it must not be questioned, changed, or interfered with

Example

For the Okonkwo family, the tradition of sharing Sunday dinner together is a sacred custom.

collocation: sacred tradition

Freedom of speech is treated as a sacred principle in a democratic society.

collocation: sacred principle

Common collocations
  • sacred tradition
  • sacred principle
  • sacred duty
  • sacred promise
  • sacred right
  • sacred custom
Synonyms
  • sacrosanct

    more formal; suggests something that must never be violated or questioned, especially principles or rights

  • inviolable

    formal; used especially of rights or laws that cannot be broken or disregarded

  • untouchable

    informal; conveys the idea that something cannot be criticized or changed

Antonyms
  • negotiable

    open to discussion, change, or compromise

  • expendable

    considered not important enough to be kept or protected

Grammar Patterns

sacred + noun

be + sacred

be + sacred + to + someone

Usage Note

Used figuratively; the thing described is not literally connected to religion but is treated with the same seriousness and protection as something holy. Common with nouns such as tradition, principle, duty, promise, right, custom.

Common Mistakes

My morning coffee is sacred to me.
The tradition of Sunday dinner is sacred to the family.
The figurative sense should describe something genuinely important, not a casual personal preference.

Word family

  • sacredly
    adverbC1
  • sacredness
    nounB2
  • sacrilege
    nounC1
  • sacrilegious
    adjectiveC1
  • consecrate
    verbC1
  • desecrate
    verbC1
  • sacrifice
    noun / verbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Holy is the broadest and strongest of these words, referring directly to God or moral purity (the Holy Bible). Sacred also implies a connection to the divine but focuses on things set apart for religious use (a sacred temple). Consecrated is narrower — it describes something formally declared sacred through a specific ceremony (consecrated ground). Hallowed carries a poetic, reverential tone and suggests something has become holy through long tradition or veneration (hallowed halls of the university). Blessed implies a specific act of divine favour or grace rather than inherent holiness (blessed water). For everyday use, holy is appropriate for God and religious figures, sacred for objects and places, consecrated for ritually dedicated things, hallowed for solemn traditional veneration, and blessed for things that have received a blessing.

holy ↗consecratedhallowedblessed

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • deeply sacred
  • highly sacred

Phrases

  • hold something sacred
  • regard something as sacred
  • consider something sacred

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Sacred comes from the Latin word sacer, meaning 'holy' or 'set apart for a god.' The same root gave English words like sacrilege (violating something sacred), sacrifice (making something sacred through offering), and desecrate (removing sacredness). It entered English through Old French (sacré) in the 14th century, originally used only in religious contexts, then gradually broadened to describe anything treated with the same level of protection and reverence.