observance

noun

əb-ˈzər-vən(t)s How to pronounce observance (audio)
Definition of observancenext
1
as in adherence
the following of a custom, rule, or law the observance of this family tradition would make your grandmother very happy observance of the smoking ban in public buildings

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ritual
an oft-repeated action or series of actions performed in accordance with tradition or a set of rules some religions require very specific observances on holy days

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in awareness
a state of being aware if you've been doing any significant housecleaning, it has escaped my observance

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of observance His two sons attended New York public schools, but Spade says their formal observance of the attacks seldom extended beyond a moment of silence. — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026 Winnetka organized a local flag display and additional community-wide observances. — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026 Theirs is not a once-a-year public observance, but a private daily reckoning that cannot be understood by anyone who hasn’t experienced it. — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Normal operations will resume immediately after the observance. — Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for observance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for observance
  1. adherence
  2. ritual
  3. awareness
  4. compliance
  5. ceremony
  6. attention
  7. observation
  8. rite
Noun
  • Kyiv has also ended its brief adherence to the energy ceasefire Trump declared unilaterally earlier this month.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The more meaningful questions are whether RPM caught deterioration earlier, improved medication adherence or let clinicians intervene before a patient worsened.
    — Ayush Jain, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of adherence
Noun
  • Brushing off tombstones is a regular ritual in some cultures, including in Mexico where entire families clean and decorate graves, which are covered with orange marigolds for Day of the Dead.
    — Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • What saunas may offer women PT and lymphatic drainage expert Sonia Rose told Women’s Health that warmth has long been a female comfort ritual.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of ritual
Noun
  • Hundreds of runners in purple briefs took to the streets of Johannesburg last Friday to raise awareness of prostate cancer.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The decision to launch the movie in moderate release — rather than limited in just a handful of venues or nationwide on more than 2,000 screens — proved wise because the studio was able to bolster awareness while cultivating a sense of scarcity.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of awareness
Noun
  • Yes, but this doesn’t save a business from the compliance nightmare.
    — Daniel Kjellén, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Justice Department routinely sends election monitors to polling locations to ensure compliance with laws and that voters’ rights are protected.
    — Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of compliance
Noun
  • Machado was briefly detained in January 2025, following a protest against Maduro's planned swearing-in ceremony, and went into hiding in Venezuela for 11 months.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Adebayo, who took over as Heat captain when Haslem retired, is also on a path that could result in a Heat jersey retirement ceremony down the road.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of ceremony
Noun
  • The Sun enters your 12th House, drawing your attention toward rest, reflection, privacy, unfinished matters, and everything easier to hear when the outside world becomes less demanding.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • If they really can’t be bothered to show some respect then we shouldn’t be bothered enough to give them our attention and money.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of attention
Noun
  • As a result, Stiltz’s observations lean toward glib rather than casually profound.
    — Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
  • This enables observations in conditions where optical imagery may be limited.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of observation
Noun
  • The risk of transmission also limits contact with the patients even after death, depriving families of closure and the opportunity to observe their preferred burial rites.
    — Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Cremation and burial cost Japanese funerary rites involve both cremation and burial.
    — Mimi Hanaoka, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of rite

Browse Nearby Words

observable
observance
observances
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Cite this Entry

“Observance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/observance. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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