Old Testament
noun
: the first part of the Christian Bible containing the books of the Jewish canon of Scripture see Bible Table
Examples of Old Testament in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Following a surge of federal law enforcement in Minneapolis, for instance, Hamilton cited an Old Testament verse that commands Israelites to treat foreigners with love and fairness.
—
ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
The White House and the Pentagon have used Old Testament verses to frame political or military objectives as holy missions.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
It is called the Daniel fast, named for the Prophet Daniel of the Bible’s Old Testament.
—Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
Brown was unswayed by Garrison’s calls for nonviolence, using Old Testament passages to invoke notions of vengeance and divine wrath.
—Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Dec. 2025
For a man of his era—always a worrisome qualification—Dante seems remarkably free of prejudice against the Jewish people and religion, and there is a panoply of Old Testament figures in Paradise.
—Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
My Esther is purposely the embodiment of the Queen Esther she is named for—the Esther of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament.
—Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
But make no mistake — the God of this New York underworld is the same Old Testament–esque daddy of Breaking Bad who metes out every act of self-interest with some form of just deserts down the line.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
But last week's newsletter, which was about the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and Western civilization, was in hindsight perhaps eerily relevant.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
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.
ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
The White House and the Pentagon have used Old Testament verses to frame political or military objectives as holy missions.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
It is called the Daniel fast, named for the Prophet Daniel of the Bible’s Old Testament.
—Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
Brown was unswayed by Garrison’s calls for nonviolence, using Old Testament passages to invoke notions of vengeance and divine wrath.
—Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Dec. 2025
For a man of his era—always a worrisome qualification—Dante seems remarkably free of prejudice against the Jewish people and religion, and there is a panoply of Old Testament figures in Paradise.
—Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
My Esther is purposely the embodiment of the Queen Esther she is named for—the Esther of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament.
—Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025
But make no mistake — the God of this New York underworld is the same Old Testament–esque daddy of Breaking Bad who metes out every act of self-interest with some form of just deserts down the line.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
But last week's newsletter, which was about the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and Western civilization, was in hindsight perhaps eerily relevant.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Old Testament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Old%20Testament. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
