as in barbarian
not civilized
found it heathenish for the teenagers to carouse through the graveyard, showing no respect for the dead
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Recent Examples of heathenish
So repealing the Johnson Amendment is just another layer of concrete in the foundation of trust between this heathenish president and his loyal conservative Christian flock.
—
Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, 2 Nov. 2017
Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, 2 Nov. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heathenish
Adjective
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When the Western Roman Empire fell in the fifth century C.E., Europe was plunged into chaos as barbarian Germanic forces advanced south—or so the story goes.—
Emma Gometz,
Scientific American,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Ashley Johnson and star/executive producer Travis Willingham tee up what's coming for their soft barbarian lady.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Meeting a partner’s family can be challenging in any circumstance; anxieties about a family member saying something rude or belittling can only compound that.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
Ohm, well played by Scott who can wither with you with a look, is the classic ugly American and is rude to everyone at the hotel, but those putdowns and cruelty hides his self loathing.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This time playing an underling rather than a boss, Hoskins gave one of the best performances of his career in what remains a high point for Jordan as well, a lyrical and poignant yet savage film noir filled with regret, rage, and unrequited love.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
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The famed African American journalist investigated lynchings across the South and wrote about the savage incidents that the white press had already explained away.—
Case Thorp,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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So much of marketing now that happens on the internet is this wild volume game where people are essentially spamming.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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But even wild gusts couldn’t keep these top acts down at the three-day event, which had people flocking to the Mane Stage to see headliners Cody Johnson (Friday), Lainey Wilson (Saturday) and Post Malone (Sunday).—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heathenish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heathenish. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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