# hymn

/ˈhɪm/ (US) · /hˈɪm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hymn
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. religious song

noun · CEFR B2

a religious song that people sing together in a church to praise God.

For teachers: a religious song of praise or thanksgiving, typically intended for congregational singing during a Christian worship service.

- The congregation stood up to sing a traditional hymn at the start of the service.
- The choir led the congregation in a powerful rendition of a nineteenth-century hymn, their voices echoing through the cathedral's vaulted ceiling.

Usage: Often used with the verbs 'sing', 'compose', or 'perform'.

### 2. song of praise

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a song, poem, or piece of writing that praises someone or something very strongly.

For teachers: a formal expression of praise or a celebratory tribute to a person, idea, or event.

- The film is a beautiful hymn to the simple life of the countryside.
- The poet's final collection was a moving hymn to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

### 3. to praise in song

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

to praise or celebrate something in a song or poem.

For teachers: to celebrate or extol a subject through the medium of a hymn or similar formal tribute.

- The ancient poets would hymn the brave deeds of their kings.
- In his epic verse, he sought to hymn the natural beauty of the rugged coastline that had inspired his youth.

Usage: Can be used transitively with a direct object or intransitively.

## Examples

- The congregation sang a traditional hymn during the morning service.
- The choir practiced the new hymn for several weeks before the holiday ceremony to ensure the harmonies were perfect.
- The poet’s latest work is less a collection of verses and more a secular hymn to the resilience of the human spirit in times of crisis.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.