Thesaurus results for RITES

rites

noun

plural of rite

as in rituals

an oft-repeated action or series of actions performed in accordance with tradition or a set of rules the annual summer rite of loading up the car for the big family vacation

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of rites Formal rites for the dying, already limited, were further truncated or skipped entirely. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 The family later performed symbolic final rites using an effigy. — ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026 The symbolic funeral pyres were surrounded by offerings to Hindu deities as relatives gathered to perform the final rites. — Shristi Kafle, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 Its rise also marks the beginning of the Hindu celebration of Pitru Paksha, during which worshippers perform rites to honor ancestors by offering prayers and food to past members of their families. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026 On a construction site in Hainan Province, on the sub-tropical southern tip of China, a reactor barely the height of a four-story building has spent 2026 working through the final rites of commissioning that precede commercial nuclear power. — Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026 Many of its rites can be performed by anyone, but there have often been individuals with a special aptitude for and knowledge of these practices. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 Emergency workers brought out a coffin and loaded it onto an ambulance, which will transport the bodies to their hometowns for funeral rites. — CBS News, 8 Aug. 2026 Pentheus, for his part, is curious to witness his mother under the spell of Bacchic rites, and this curiosity results in his death at the hands of Agave, unable to recognize her own son due to her Dionysian frenzy. — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 31 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rites

Noun

Here are 16 satisfying activities and rituals to add to your fall bucket list.

— Clare Marie Schneider, NPR, 10 Oct. 2026
Shunned by locals, who believe she is cursed, Eleni turns to ancient rituals to resurrect her dead offspring but instead summons malevolent folkloric creatures known as the Kalikantzari.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of rituals

Noun

Tree-lighting ceremonies each evening will feature snowfall effects.

— Tom Tapp, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
In contrast to the official ceremonies, most of Wednesday’s commemoration events are grassroots efforts, organized by survivors and victims of the October 7 attack, including the October Council and the Kumu movement.

— Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of ceremonies

Noun

Although their mythological associations and forms of celebration differ by region, both are marked by major religious and communal observances and festivities.

— Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Oct. 2026
Most people can safely fast for Yom Kippur or other religious or cultural observances.

— Reed Berger-Fleishman, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of observances

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rites

ritual

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“Rites.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rites. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of rites

noun

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