as in adherent
one who follows the opinions or teachings of another
a highly influential economist whose acolytes can be found at many major universities
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of acolyte
The White Lotus’s Leslie Bibb, whose red-carpet look from Ashi Studio also earned high marks, spent part of the evening laughing with fellow Ryan Murphy acolyte Sarah Paulson.
—
Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 2 Mar. 2026
This spring is an exciting season for acolytes of contemporary art, because two of New York’s most important recurring survey shows will align, giving viewers a chance to engage with a broad swath of new work.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
Two of the Senate candidates drawing the most enthusiasm from the left—Platner in Maine and Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan—are Sanders acolytes.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
In casting his acolytes, Del Toro seeks the alchemy that only human minds and hands can accomplish building tangible worlds.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acolyte
Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 2 Mar. 2026
This spring is an exciting season for acolytes of contemporary art, because two of New York’s most important recurring survey shows will align, giving viewers a chance to engage with a broad swath of new work.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
Two of the Senate candidates drawing the most enthusiasm from the left—Platner in Maine and Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan—are Sanders acolytes.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
In casting his acolytes, Del Toro seeks the alchemy that only human minds and hands can accomplish building tangible worlds.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acolyte
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acolyte
Noun
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Leftism thus constitutes an ongoing search for new causes to fight on behalf of, in a way that mobilizes adherents and creates solidarity among them.—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
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Both romantic trends have adherents who spin their retreat from status quo romance as a kind of liberation from modern expectations, and who position their marital arrangement as the logical extension of a deeper political project.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Most of his followers are locals or close to local.—
Max Darrow,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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Texas contends Villarreal gained Facebook followers by getting police officers to tell her the identities of a person who killed himself by jumping off a Laredo overpass and of a family involved in a car accident.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Aquila hopes that his community has found a deeper love of Christ and the sacraments through his service and an understanding of the importance of being missionary disciples.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
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But the next day, Piker took to Twitch to give his disciples a firsthand account of the party.—
Abigail Sylvor Greenberg,
Vanity Fair,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acolyte.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acolyte. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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