altar boy
noun
1
: a boy who assists the celebrant in a liturgical service
2
chiefly US
: a morally pure and virtuous person
No one expects … the trendsetter and party animal to become an altar boy.—
Johnnie L. Roberts
—typically used in negative constructions to describe a man whose behavior is not entirely admirable or blamelessJohnnie L. RobertsA long time ago she married a man who turns out, by his own admission, to be somewhat dishonest—not a killer, not a dope peddler, but no altar boy, either.—Richard Cohen
Richard CohenExamples of altar boy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That disconcerting closeness of the cosmic and carnal was par for the course for Combs, an altar boy turned entrepreneur whose career is a monument to these and other striking dualities.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2024
Led by quarterback Brock Purdy, whose altar boy looks belie his killer instinct on the field, the 49ers are anything but unexpected participants in this, the biggest of big games.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2024
His only public comment on record about the allegations against him was a guilty plea in 2020 to two counts each of indecent assault against a child under 13, indecent assault of a child under 16 and corruption of minors — all crimes involving altar boys, according to media reports.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2023
Advertisement The 38-year-old Miller grew up in that church community, serving as an altar boy and learning Ukrainian dance techniques at its former location in City Heights.
—Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for altar boy 
Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2024
Led by quarterback Brock Purdy, whose altar boy looks belie his killer instinct on the field, the 49ers are anything but unexpected participants in this, the biggest of big games.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2024
His only public comment on record about the allegations against him was a guilty plea in 2020 to two counts each of indecent assault against a child under 13, indecent assault of a child under 16 and corruption of minors — all crimes involving altar boys, according to media reports.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2023
Advertisement The 38-year-old Miller grew up in that church community, serving as an altar boy and learning Ukrainian dance techniques at its former location in City Heights.
—Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for altar boy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'altar boy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Altar boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/altar%20boy. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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