1
as in rural
of, relating to, associated with, or typical of open areas with few buildings or people
painted a pastoral scene of a flower-filled meadow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ministerial
of, relating to, or characteristic of the clergy
pastoral advice to a young couple preparing to marry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pastorale
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pastoral
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
As Archbishop, Hicks will be in a position to do things differently from the bully pulpit of New York—to carry forward Francis’s pastoral flexibility and identification with people on society’s margins.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
Marcus K. Dowling, Nashville Tennessean, 11 Sep. 2025
His voice is the ghost in the machine, a strangely humane presence amid all the urban-industrial pastoral.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pastoral
Adjective
Against this pastoral backdrop, Bad Bunny stood looking modern and fly, in a boxy white shirt patterned like an NFL jersey.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
As Archbishop, Hicks will be in a position to do things differently from the bully pulpit of New York—to carry forward Francis’s pastoral flexibility and identification with people on society’s margins.
—Paul Elie, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
The pastoral, yet bittersweet lament has turned into something of an emotionally restorative California wildfire reflection.
—Marcus K. Dowling, Nashville Tennessean, 11 Sep. 2025
His voice is the ghost in the machine, a strangely humane presence amid all the urban-industrial pastoral.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pastoral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pastoral
Adjective
-
On rural roads that fade to pitch black at night, trucks appear to outnumber cars.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
1 Mar. 2026
-
But in rural areas — where the Basij and police have less of a presence — thousands deluged the streets, chanting and dancing in jubilation.—
Ramin Mostaghim,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Thaksin could be eligible for parole in May, his nephew is the party’s prime ministerial candidate.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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The referendum refers political reforms that include prime ministerial term limits, stronger checks on executive power and other safeguards preventing parliamentary power consolidation.—
Julhas Alam,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Including 55 serious operas, 6 cantatas, 53 comic operas, 17 operettas, 6 sing-spiele, 4 ballets, 4 vaudevilles, 2 oratorios, one each of fares, pastorales, masques, ballads and buffas.—
WILLIAM ROBIN,
New York Times,
1 Sep. 2017
Noun
-
The stately stone manor house at the heart of the private idyll was built around the turn of the 20th century for the Sulzberger family, the longtime publishers of The New York Times.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The warm reception of that volume, the vibrant intellectual and social life of Cambridge, and above all the friendship with Hallam conspired to make Tennyson’s university years something of an idyll.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In Berceuse Parish, there are so many elegies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The show, a sort of elegy for Gen X, opens with a flash-forward to July 16, 1999, the final hours of Carolyn and John.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Gallagher is also excited about Psalms of the People (Salim Nan Daoine), Jack Archer’s Gaelic-language documentary about Scotland’s cultural heritage of traditional Gaelic psalm singing.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
25 Feb. 2026
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Like a typical Catholic Mass, scriptures, psalms and gospels will be read and the Holy Communion will be given.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Spiritual Sound Marc-André Hamelin, Found Objects / Sound Objects The Beths, Straight Line Was a Lie A year like no other, my 2025 in music was filled with joyous arias and madrigals of melancholy.—
Rolling Stone,
Rolling Stone,
29 Dec. 2025
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This is a lovely fundraiser to assist in the preservation of the cemetery, and the day is filled with master gardeners offering advice, madrigals singing, an archaeology talk, refreshments, kids’ activities and lots of lovely spring plants for sale.—
Janet Kusterer,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
In Virgil’s epic, Aeneas wanders after the fall of Troy, searching for a new homeland.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Chloé Zhao’s Shakespearean heartbreaker Hamnet and Josh Safdie’s ping-pong caper Marty Supreme earned 11 BAFTA nods each, while Joachim Trier’s drama Sentimental Value and Guillermo del Toro’s gothic epic Frankenstein earned eight BAFTA noms.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pastoral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pastoral. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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