spiritual

spiritual — adjective

1. connected to religion, religious faith, or people's most deeply held beliefs abo

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

connected to religion, religious faith, or people's most deeply held beliefs about the purpose and meaning of life.

Example

Sana finds spiritual comfort in attending the local church every Sunday.

spiritual comfort — abstract noun collocation

The temple offers a quiet space for spiritual reflection and prayer away from daily noise.

spiritual reflection — common noun collocation

Common collocations
  • spiritual leader
  • spiritual guidance
  • spiritual authority
  • spiritual advisor
  • spiritual belief
Synonyms
  • religious

    more directly connected to organized faith, church, or worship

  • sacred

    describes things considered holy and worthy of special respect, not a personal quality

  • moral

    focuses on principles of right and wrong rather than faith or belief

Antonyms
  • secular

    not connected to religion or religious institutions

Grammar Patterns

spiritual + noun (belief, leader, life)

Usage Note

This sense is closely tied to organized religion or institutional faith. When referring to personal inner experience without reference to a church, sense 2 is more appropriate.

Common Mistakes

Tendai is a very spiritual man — he goes to the mosque five times a day.
Tendai is a very religious man
he goes to the mosque five times a day.' — 'religious' is the natural choice when describing someone who follows organized worship practices; 'spiritual' leans toward personal beliefs not necessarily tied to a specific faith.

2. relating to a person's inner self, spirit, or soul, rather than to physical or m

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to a person's inner self, spirit, or soul, rather than to physical or material things.

Example

Baraka feels that yoga is a deeply spiritual practice that connects mind and body.

deeply spiritual — adverb + adjective intensifier

After losing his job, Theo focused on his spiritual growth more than on money.

spiritual growth — common collocation for inner development

Common collocations
  • spiritual growth
  • spiritual practice
  • spiritual journey
  • spiritual awakening
  • spiritual side
Synonyms
  • inner

    focuses on thoughts and feelings deep inside a person, less mystical

  • non-material

    more literal and neutral, avoids religious connotations

  • philosophical

    relates to abstract thinking about existence, less personal

Antonyms
  • physical

    relating to the body rather than the spirit

  • material

    relating to money, possessions, or physical objects

Grammar Patterns

spiritual + noun (growth, practice, side)

be + spiritual

Usage Note

Unlike 'religious' (sense 1), this sense does not require a connection to organized faith. It can be used after linking verbs: 'She feels very spiritual.' The contrast 'spiritual but not religious' is common in modern usage.

Common Mistakes

The meditation group focuses on spiritual things like money and career.
The meditation group focuses on spiritual things like inner peace and self-awareness.
'spiritual' in this sense should relate to the non-material inner world, not to practical or career goals.
Idioms

your spiritual home

idiom

A place where you feel you truly belong and are most content, often because you share the culture or values of that place.

After living in Japan for years, Maya felt it was her spiritual home.

Diego visited Ireland and immediately knew it was his spiritual home.

spiritual — noun

Word family

  • spirit
    nounB1
  • spiritually
    adverbB2
  • spirituality
    nounB2
  • spiritualist
    nounC1
  • spiritualism
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words connect to faith, but they differ in scope. 'Religious' points to organized systems of belief, worship, and institutions — a religious person attends services and follows a doctrine. 'Sacred' describes objects, places, or texts set apart as worthy of special respect, regardless of which religion they belong to. 'Holy' carries a stronger sense of moral purity and divine power, often used within a specific faith tradition (a holy person is seen as especially close to God). When describing a person's connectedness to faith, use 'religious' for active practice and 'spiritual' (sense 2) for personal inner belief; 'sacred' and 'holy' describe things rather than people.

religious ↗sacred ↗holy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • spiritual life
  • spiritual experience
  • spiritual journey
  • spiritual dimension
  • spiritual world
  • spiritual need

Adverbs

  • deeply spiritual
  • truly spiritual
  • profoundly spiritual

Phrases

  • spiritual but not religious
  • on a spiritual level

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word comes from Latin 'spiritualis,' meaning 'of or relating to breath or spirit,' based on 'spiritus' (breath, spirit). It entered English through Old French 'spirituel' during the 13th century, first carrying the meaning of 'divine, holy.' The noun sense for a religious folk song emerged in the mid-18th century in America, originally referring to songs of the African American Christian tradition.