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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 acolyte
Unfortunately for both the president himself and his acolytes who bought into the coin, though, it’s been on a downward trajectory that mirrors their dear leader’s approval ratings ever since.
—
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 12 Mar. 2026
There had always been a few Kennedy acolytes hanging around the block, Dean says, but that number has ballooned since Ryan Murphy’s Love Story premiered in February.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 12 Mar. 2026
Smith has never been the indefatigable champion of free enterprise imagined by his acolytes.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for acolyte
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 12 Mar. 2026
There had always been a few Kennedy acolytes hanging around the block, Dean says, but that number has ballooned since Ryan Murphy’s Love Story premiered in February.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 12 Mar. 2026
Smith has never been the indefatigable champion of free enterprise imagined by his acolytes.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for acolyte
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acolyte
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
For his followers, blaspheming the Holocaust and celebrating Hitler became a way to signal contempt for the political religion of postwar liberalism.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
In the Christian faith, the lamb is symbolic of innocence and the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ for his followers.—
Eric Henderson,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This egalitarian, crate-digging ethos makes a lot of sense next to MIKE and Earl Sweatshirt, who’ve fostered years of goodwill from uplifting their own disciples.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Oh my, Cori, this being a legacy triumph for coach Cori Close, a John Wooden disciple who led through thoughtful motivation instead of mindless screaming.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acolyte.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acolyte. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
