Word
sacred
Phoneticssa·cred, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈseɪkɹəd/
UK/sˈeɪkɹəd/
Definitions
01holy or religious
B2 · Upper Intermediate Religion
adj. connected to a god or a religion and treated with great respect.
adj. consecrated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; considered holy.
“The monks consider the mountain to be sacred and visit it every year to pray.”
“The temple was built on sacred ground, and visitors are required to remove their shoes before entering the inner sanctum.”
02not to be changed
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. too important to be changed, ignored, or treated badly.
adj. regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with; inviolable.
“In many families, the time spent eating dinner together is sacred.”
“The right to free speech is seen as a sacred principle of their democracy, one that the government is sworn to protect at all costs.”
Synonyms
03religious music or art
C1 · Advanced Music Academic
adj. relating to religious music or art rather than popular or secular styles.
adj. relating to religious rites or symbols; specifically used to categorise music, art, or literature intended for worship.
“The choir performed a beautiful piece of sacred music during the ceremony.”
“The university's music department offers a specialised course in the history of sacred choral works from the Renaissance period.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “sacred” in context.
Verb
01. hold the land sacred
“The indigenous tribes hold the land sacred and fight to prevent industrial development.”
verb + noun + adj
02. regard the text as sacred
“Scholars and believers alike regard the ancient text as sacred.”
verb + noun + prep + adj
Adjective
03. deeply sacred
“The monks performed a deeply sacred ritual that had remained unchanged for centuries.”
adv + adj
04. sacred duty
“The soldiers felt it was their sacred duty to protect the borders of their homeland.”
adj + noun
05. sacred to the memory
“The small monument in the town square was sacred to the memory of those lost at sea.”
adj + prep + noun
Noun
06. sacred cow of politics
“Free healthcare is often seen as a sacred cow of politics that no party dares to cut.”
adj + noun + of + noun
07. sacred site of pilgrimage
“Every year, thousands of devotees travel to this sacred site of pilgrimage.”
adj + noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“The agreement established the Great Sioux Reservation , giving the tribes authority over the western half of what is now South Dakota, including much of the Black Hills region, considered sacred by the Sioux.” “They reveal that India was imagined as a sacred land in different ways.” Etymology
From Middle English sacred, isacred, past participle of sacren, sakeren (“to make holy, hallow”), equivalent to sacre + -ed.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
01. sacred cow
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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