HEATHEN Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

heathen 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhē-t͟hən

Definition of heathen

as in barbarian

not civilized old missionaries who mistakenly thought that they were going off to China to tame the heathen hordes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

heathen

2 of 2

noun

as in pagan

a person who does not worship the God of the Bible a study of the beliefs and practices of ancient heathens

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in primitive

an uncivilized person European colonizers, who considered the New World peoples to be heathens, forced them to conform to European ways

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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 heathen

Adjective

The Cincinnati Bengals welcome the media heathen universe for a gab session/sitdown, linen-tablecloth lunch known in This Space as The Mock Turtle Soupfest and Weenie Roast. — Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 28 May 2019 Each essay will identify a contemporary issue, discuss it through the lens of heathen myths, and suggest a solution based on heathen ideals. — Sigal Samuel, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2017

Noun

Predictably, the hubbub surrounding the photo was eventually framed as a war between uptight virgins and godless heathens, with a quieter contingent astounded only by the fact that this kind of marketing could still be so effective. — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025 Among Catholic Filipinos, the stereotype of the Moros as dangerous heathens lingers, and discrimination against them remains widespread. — Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heathen

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heathen

Adjective

Language would have been a part of the divide between Roman and barbarian.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
For the design of the barbarian figure, Sweet reached out to Mark Taylor, an artist and designer at Mattel.

— Sanat Pai RaikarAll, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 May 2026

Definition of barbarian

Noun

The list no longer includes atheists, Unitarian Universalists, pagans and Wiccans.

— Tiffany Stanley, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Women carry these on their heads in a festival every four years, incorporating pagan and harvest rituals into Catholic celebration during the Festa dos Tabuleiros (Festival of the Trays) in late June or early July (next up in 2027).

— Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of pagan

Noun

Inventory scanners flag every primitive the library makes available.

— Atsushi Yamada, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
What follows this admission is a piercing dissection not of the art itself, but of frameworks of looking at Black art and life that go beyond racist tropes disguised as appeals to the primitive, the spontaneous, the corporeal.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026

Definition of primitive

Adjective

Painfully aware of this, Shawn waited for one of the drunk old men to comment, heckle, make one of those incomprehensible jokes that drew rude laughter from adults.

— Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
By the same token, French-style discretion can be interpreted by American visitors as inattentive and rude.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of rude

Adjective

The Indian pilot who fought off a savage attack by his copilot and helped prevent an apparent hijack of a Flydubai plane heading to Israel with more than 170 people on board is being hailed as a hero.

— Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index weathered a savage 30% drawdown, has been choppily trendless for two months, then in recent days finally broke above its downtrend and surmounted the 50-day moving average.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of savage

Adjective

That set the stage for a strange wild-card game against Philadelphia in which the Eagles built a 51-7 lead and held on despite the Lions scoring 30 points down the stretch.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Close to 10,000 fans who plunked down $10 a ticket on Saturday to essentially witness a glorified practice at the Sixers’ home arena went wild for James' debut.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of wild

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heath

heathen

heathenish

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Style

“Heathen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heathen. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of heathen

adjective

noun

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