as in hymns
a religious song
sang a spiritual at the funeral
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Recent Examples of spirituals
This vibrant, free afternoon concert will feature a rich selection of beloved American choral favorites, including rousing gospel selections, powerful spirituals, and timeless classics that resonate across generations, a news release stated.
—
News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
The music is eclectic and includes sounds associated with Islam as well as bluegrass, hymns and spirituals.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
At Merkin Hall, Chanticleer rings in the semiquincentennial with a new work by Trevor Weston, which spotlights the legacy of African American spirituals.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
As iconic church songs that have crossed over into secular spirituals, they were written to be memorable and singable, crowd-tested for at least a couple of generations.
—David W. Stowe, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026
For their next concert, the VocalEssence choirs will recall the civil rights movement through anthems, spirituals and more.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026
America’s long struggle against racial segregation was accompanied by a righteous soundtrack of spirituals and gospel and soul music, anthems that channeled sanctified fervor into the fight for equality.
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
From slave spirituals to civil rights-era protest songs to the YG and Kendrick Lamar songs that soundtracked the last decade of Black Lives Matter protests, musicians across genres tend to react to our country’s horrors with music.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 9 Jan. 2026
Davenport carries forward Hogan’s mission to uplift spirituals by continuing to teach his own interpretations of many of the late composer’s arrangements to the choir.
—Tevon Blair, Essence, 30 Dec. 2025
News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
The music is eclectic and includes sounds associated with Islam as well as bluegrass, hymns and spirituals.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
At Merkin Hall, Chanticleer rings in the semiquincentennial with a new work by Trevor Weston, which spotlights the legacy of African American spirituals.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
As iconic church songs that have crossed over into secular spirituals, they were written to be memorable and singable, crowd-tested for at least a couple of generations.
—David W. Stowe, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026
For their next concert, the VocalEssence choirs will recall the civil rights movement through anthems, spirituals and more.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026
America’s long struggle against racial segregation was accompanied by a righteous soundtrack of spirituals and gospel and soul music, anthems that channeled sanctified fervor into the fight for equality.
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
From slave spirituals to civil rights-era protest songs to the YG and Kendrick Lamar songs that soundtracked the last decade of Black Lives Matter protests, musicians across genres tend to react to our country’s horrors with music.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 9 Jan. 2026
Davenport carries forward Hogan’s mission to uplift spirituals by continuing to teach his own interpretations of many of the late composer’s arrangements to the choir.
—Tevon Blair, Essence, 30 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spirituals
Noun
-
Sometimes that battle is filtered through songs that sound like show tunes or gospel hymns.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
2 May 2026
-
In some public schools, including in large cities such as Philadelphia, students of all religions were required to read the Bible and sing Protestant hymns.—
David Mislin,
The Conversation,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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An overflowing, towel-waving crowd filled the Honda Center before the anthems and let the Anaheim Ducks know Game 3 was something long craved.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Through more than 200 interviews and a blend of entertainment and education, the podcast highlights Kuti’s impact while incorporating the voices of women in his life and showcasing his musical works as anthems for freedom.—
Patrick Hipes,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The epitome of that tradition is Choral Evensong, an evening service of hymns, psalms and prayers laid out by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the first Protestant archbishop of the Church of England, in 1549.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
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Scholars have debated the reason for the discrepancy; some scholars note that the Psalms are poetic and have their own internal logic, and others contend that the textual tradition’s list of plagues was initially fluid.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spirituals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spirituals. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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