as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church
clerics were sharply divided on the issue of whether the war was morally justified
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Recent Examples of cleric
The new supreme leader, while not a high-ranking cleric, is a close associate of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IGRC) and the regime’s economic elite.
—
Max Saltman, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
After the war, Mojtaba Khamenei studied under prominent clerics in Qom.
—Emma Graham,sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
When Khomeini died in 1989, he was chosen by a panel of senior clerics as successor.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 Mar. 2026
Although the clergy and the IRGC are commonly understood as separate pillars of the Islamic Republic, Taeb, as both a cleric and an IRGC officer, serves as a bridge between the two power centers.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleric
Max Saltman, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
After the war, Mojtaba Khamenei studied under prominent clerics in Qom.
—Emma Graham,sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
When Khomeini died in 1989, he was chosen by a panel of senior clerics as successor.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 10 Mar. 2026
Although the clergy and the IRGC are commonly understood as separate pillars of the Islamic Republic, Taeb, as both a cleric and an IRGC officer, serves as a bridge between the two power centers.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleric
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleric
Noun
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The actor will portray Father Fintan, a Native American spiritualist and Catholic priest.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
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Kilmer had been cast as Catholic priest Father Fintan, but was never able to make it on set because of his health struggles and eventual death in 2025.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Complicating matters is the charismatic doomsday preacher who is quickly leading the small town to the verge of hysteria.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
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Some religious tracts and pamphlets had been sent by radio preachers after Mama or Daddy had mailed them a dollar.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleric. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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