Paganism is closer to nature than Christianity.
Source: tatoeba (8953697)
Paganism
/ˈpeɪɡənɪzm̩/
Synonyms for "paganism" (55 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (11)
Noun(1 words)
age of ignoranceallotheismanimal worshipanimatismanimismbarbarismbenightednessbenightmentdarkdark age
Strong matches (17)
darknessdemonismdemonolatrydevil worshipdruidismfetishismfire worshipgothicismheathendomheathenismheathenryhero worshipiconodulyiconolatryidol worshipidolatrousness
Noun(1 words)
eclectic paganism
Related words (27)
idolatryidolismidoloduliaidolomancyimage worshippagandompaganryparsiismphallic worshipphallicismpyrolatrysabaismsavagerysnake worshipstar worshipsun worshiptree worshipunenlightenmentzoroastrianism
Noun(8 words)
modern paganismnature religionnature worship traditionsneopaganismnon christian religionpagan religionpolytheistic religionpre christian beliefs
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: heathenism, age of ignorance, allotheism, animal worship, animatism.
- Sentence evidence is available for paganism, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "paganism".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "paganism"
Keep "paganism" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "paganism" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "paganism", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "paganism" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
3 entriesMore specific
8 entriesCollocations
6 entriesancient paganismeclectic paganismmodern paganismnature religionpagan religionpagan rites
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
4 entriesTranslations
52 translations across 46 languages.
Albanian
1 entries- idhujtari noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Ancient Greek
1 entries- εἰδωλολατρία noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Arabic
1 entries- وَثَنِيَّة noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Armenian
1 entries- հեթանոսություն noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Azerbaijani
1 entries- bütpərəstlik noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Bashkir
1 entries- мәжүсилек noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Belarusian
1 entries- язы́чніцтва noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Breton
1 entries- paganiezh noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Bulgarian
1 entries- ези́чество noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Carpathian Rusyn
1 entries- пога́нство noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Catalan
1 entries- paganisme noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Chinese Cantonese
1 entries- 異教 /异教 noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 異教 /异教 noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Cornish
1 entries- paganieth noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Czech
1 entries- pohanství noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Danish
1 entries- hedenskab noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Dutch
2 entries- heidendom noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
- paganisme noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Esperanto
1 entries- paganismo noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Finnish
1 entries- pakanuus noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
French
1 entries- paganisme noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Galician
1 entries- paganismo noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Georgian
1 entries- წარმართობა noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
German
2 entries- Heidentum noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
- Paganismus noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Greek
2 entries- ειδωλολατρία noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
- παγανισμός noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Hebrew
1 entries- פָּגָנִיּוּת noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Hungarian
1 entries- pogányság noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Icelandic
1 entries- heiðni noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Irish
1 entries- págántacht noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Italian
1 entries- paganesimo noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Japanese
2 entries- ペイガニズム noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
- 異教 noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Korean
1 entries- 이교 noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Latvian
1 entries- pagānisms noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Lithuanian
1 entries- pagonybė noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Polish
1 entries- pogaństwo noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Portuguese
1 entries- paganismo noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Romanian
2 entries- păgânism noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
- păgânătate noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Russian
1 entries- язы́чество noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Samogitian
1 entries- paguonībė noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Spanish
1 entries- paganismo noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Swedish
1 entries- hedendom noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Tatar
1 entries- мәҗүсилек noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Turkish
2 entries- paganizm noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
- paganlık noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Ukrainian
1 entries- язи́чництво noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Urdu
1 entries- پاگانیت noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Uzbek
1 entries- paganizm noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Welsh
1 entries- paganiaeth noun (local religions practiced before the introduction of Christianity)
Sample sentences
6 total sentences available.
Scholars believe that Judaism evolved out of Canaanite paganism.
Source: tatoeba (11750091)
Halloween is vaguely Christian, although its roots are in Celtic paganism.
Source: tatoeba (12138062)
Paganism refers to the ancient religions of indigenous Peoples, from Indian Shamanism to Celtic Druidry, in which multiple gods personify nature. Pagans believe that human life closely connects with the environment, and they emulate natural cycles through rituals of chants, dances, and symbols of nature.
Source: tatoeba (12243911)
Showing 4 of 6 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "paganism"?
Closest matches include heathenism, age of ignorance, allotheism, animal worship, animatism.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "paganism"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.