Synonyms for rite
- noun
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
ritual, sacrament, ceremony, celebration, ceremonial, form, forme US, solemnity, observance, custom, service, ordinance, formulary, formality
Definitions
- n. 1
A religious custom.
Related words
- Word family
- ritual
- Phrases
- rite of passage funeral rite rite de passage
Forms
- Plural
- rites → rituals, sacraments, ceremonys, celebrations…
Choose the right word
An observance has more than a formal obligation, reaching or approaching a religious sacredness; a stated religious observance, viewed as established by authority, is called an ordinance; viewed as an established custom, it is a rite.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- ceremony The wedding ceremony was performed in the morning.
- celebration Parents will be invited to the school celebration.
- ritual My favorite ritual is reading Algerian newspapers.
- sacrament After everyone took their places, the sacrament begins.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| rite | rising | |
| ceremony | rising | |
| celebration | rising | |
| ritual | rising | |
| sacrament | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- form1
- 5 letters
- forme
- 6 letters
- custom2, ritual3
- 7 letters
- service2
- 8 letters
- ceremony4
- 9 letters
- ordinance3, sacrament3, formality4, solemnity4, formulary4
- 10 letters
- ceremonial5, observance3
- 11 letters
- celebration4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (custom2 = 2 syllables).