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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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 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 them to their hometown for funeral rites. — ABC News, 8 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 The South Carolina Republican, who died earlier this month at 71, was celebrated in back-to-back departure rites—a morning ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, followed by a funeral at the Washington National Cathedral. — Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026 Ursone reckoned that the distinct rites and language of their marine tribe would, to polite society, resemble hieroglyphics. — Jasper Craven, New Yorker, 24 July 2026 Legislative intent not to regulate, control, approve, or accredit private educational institutions, churches, their ministries, religious instruction, freedoms, or rites, is explicit. — Peter Greene, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 Sinon also told Odysseus the fallen Ithacan soldiers were unable to rest because they weren’t honored with proper Greek warrior funeral rites. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rites
  1. rituals
  2. ceremonies
  3. observances
Noun
  • This goes beyond just topical products to include massage tools, wellness rituals and detoxifying treatments.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Shankara advises that worshipping gods with names and stories through devotional rituals and sacred images (murtis) is an acceptable step for some people on the path toward a more philosophical understanding of an all-pervasive ultimate reality.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of rituals
Noun
  • Among these are baptisms, including ceremonies in which current members are baptized on behalf of their deceased, non-Mormon ancestors.
    — Brandon Griggs, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has attended three dignified transfer ceremonies to honor the lives of service members lost since the war began -- two in March and one in July.
    — Justin Fishel, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of ceremonies
Noun
  • The school and church asked for privacy on Remembrance Day; observances on campus will not open to the public.
    — Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Rabbi Josh Joseph of the Orthodox Union said many Jewish religious practices are tied to sunrise and sunset, which determine prayer times and observances.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of observances

Browse Nearby Words

rite
rites
ritual
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Cite this Entry

“Rites.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rites. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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