sec·u·lar
ˈse-kyə-lər 
1
a
: of or relating to the worldly or temporal
secular concerns
b
: not overtly or specifically religious
secular music
c
: not ecclesiastical or clerical
secular courts
secular landowners
2
: not bound by monastic vows or rules
specifically
: of, relating to, or forming clergy not belonging to a religious order or congregation
a secular priest
3
a
: occurring once in an age or a century
b
: existing or continuing through ages or centuries
c
: of or relating to a long term of indefinite duration
secular inflation
plural seculars or secular
1
: an ecclesiastic (such as a diocesan priest) not bound by monastic vows or rules : a member of the secular clergy
2
: layman
Examples of secular in a Sentence
Adjective
Bloomberg, by contrast, would be the most pro-immigration, pro-free trade, pro-Wall Street candidate in the race. The third-party candidate he would most resemble is John Anderson, the fiscally responsible, culturally liberal Republican who ran as an Independent in 1980. Anderson won 7% of the vote, mostly among the young, educated and secular. But today those people are partisan Democrats.
—
Peter Beinart, Time, 11 Feb. 2008
In the early twentieth century, priests and religious built centers for Catholic study and worship on secular campuses.
—Maurice Timothy Reidy, Commonweal, 7 Apr. 2006
Some women, indeed, achieved great renown for their religious scholarship, becoming role models for their peers and silently challenging men, who for so long had held a monopoly in this area. Though they never carried the title of "rabbi" and in many cases eschewed the controversial "f-word" (feminism) altogether, these Orthodox women produced no less a revolution in the late twentieth century than women did in so many other realms, religious and secular alike. By challenging Judaism, they ended up strengthening Judaism.
—Jonathan D. Sarna, American Judaism, 2004
The reforms of the nineteenth century and the needs of commercial and other contacts with Europe led to the enactment of new laws, modeled on those of Europe—commercial, civil, criminal, and finally constitutional. In the traditional order the only lawyers were the ulema, the doctors of the Holy Law, at once jurists and theologians. The secular lawyer, pleading in courts administering secular law, represented a new and influential element in society.
—Bernard Lewis, What Went Wrong?, 2002
Both secular and religious institutions can apply for the funds.
that's an issue for the secular authorities, not the church
Peter Beinart, Time, 11 Feb. 2008
In the early twentieth century, priests and religious built centers for Catholic study and worship on secular campuses.
—Maurice Timothy Reidy, Commonweal, 7 Apr. 2006
Some women, indeed, achieved great renown for their religious scholarship, becoming role models for their peers and silently challenging men, who for so long had held a monopoly in this area. Though they never carried the title of "rabbi" and in many cases eschewed the controversial "f-word" (feminism) altogether, these Orthodox women produced no less a revolution in the late twentieth century than women did in so many other realms, religious and secular alike. By challenging Judaism, they ended up strengthening Judaism.
—Jonathan D. Sarna, American Judaism, 2004
The reforms of the nineteenth century and the needs of commercial and other contacts with Europe led to the enactment of new laws, modeled on those of Europe—commercial, civil, criminal, and finally constitutional. In the traditional order the only lawyers were the ulema, the doctors of the Holy Law, at once jurists and theologians. The secular lawyer, pleading in courts administering secular law, represented a new and influential element in society.
—Bernard Lewis, What Went Wrong?, 2002
Both secular and religious institutions can apply for the funds.
that's an issue for the secular authorities, not the church
Recent Examples on the Web
Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Advertisement Although a senior member of Fatah—the secular nationalist party that dominates the Palestinian Authority—Barghouti has maintained good relations with Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza.
—Karl Vick, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2023
His selection of works, for example, mixed the sacred with the secular, interspersing chorale preludes (which use Lutheran hymns as their point of departure) with the six trio sonatas for organ.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for secular
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Adjective
Poddar meanwhile argued that his fiercely secular friend treated Hindu icons the same as all his other subjects.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Advertisement Although a senior member of Fatah—the secular nationalist party that dominates the Palestinian Authority—Barghouti has maintained good relations with Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza.
—Karl Vick, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
There was a change of heart among the secular nationalists during the second intifada—which started in 2000 and ended in 2005—in which seculars also joined forces.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2023
His selection of works, for example, mixed the sacred with the secular, interspersing chorale preludes (which use Lutheran hymns as their point of departure) with the six trio sonatas for organ.
—Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for secular
Cite this Entry
“Secular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secular. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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