spirituals

plural of spiritual

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 spirituals The music is eclectic and includes sounds associated with Islam as well as bluegrass, hymns and spirituals. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 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 Families gathered, spirituals filled the streets, and emancipation—long delayed—became real at last. Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 June 2026 With elements of jazz, gospel and spirituals incorporated into the music, the song was a British homage to Black American music traditions. 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 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spirituals
Noun
  • Many American poets have written hymns and howls, declarations and outcries for this country that brims with so many people, and so many hopes, from all over the world.
    Scott Simon, NPR, 4 July 2026
  • Transplants from the British Isles In 1776, as the nation’s founding generation proclaimed democratic ideals, music in the emerging United States consisted largely of British ballads, fiddle tunes, sea chanteys and hymns.
    Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • Meanwhile, singing anthems at England national team matches is nothing new for English supporters.
    Amna Subhan, AJC.com, 30 June 2026
  • As the anthems played ahead of Curaçao’s first-ever World Cup match, Advocaat stood on the touchline and wiped away tears.
    Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Take The Music Lesson, a study of a young woman playing the virginal, closely watched by a gentleman, which Graham-Dixon reads as a depiction of Collegiants chastely performing and singing psalms.
    Clare Bucknell, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
  • A little over a year ago, Paul Simon returned to the road following a seven-year hiatus to promote his new LP Seven Psalms.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Spirituals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spirituals. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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