as in opinionative
given to or marked by the forceful expression of strongly held opinions
a theater critic known for his pontifical pronouncements on what is or is not worth seeing
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Recent Examples of pontifical
The bishops further authorized a new edition of the Roman Pontifical for pontifical Masses, expected to be completed by 2027, with Vatican approval pending for some rites, according to the Catholic News Agency.
—
Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
In its report, the pontifical commission highlights failures in the Italian church.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
The sprawling roughly 2,000-year-old property includes ancient Roman archaeological sites, farmlands, pontifical villas and lush papal gardens, with areas for organic farming and regenerative cultivation.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Related Articles For the past 40-plus years in the Philippines, Natori’s mother Angelita Cruz has been very close to the nuncios (who act as pontifical ambassadors), the designer said.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 June 2025
The only pontifical name that hasn't been used more than once is Peter, the name of the first pope, though there's no prohibition against doing so.
—Christopher Watson, ABC News, 8 May 2025
Turkson resigned from that role in 2021 and was appointed to head two pontifical academies on sciences and social sciences.
—Philip Pullella, Crispian Balmer, Alvise Armellini, Joshua McElwee and Chris Scicluna, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
In its report, the pontifical commission highlights failures in the Italian church.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
The sprawling roughly 2,000-year-old property includes ancient Roman archaeological sites, farmlands, pontifical villas and lush papal gardens, with areas for organic farming and regenerative cultivation.
—Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Related Articles For the past 40-plus years in the Philippines, Natori’s mother Angelita Cruz has been very close to the nuncios (who act as pontifical ambassadors), the designer said.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 June 2025
The only pontifical name that hasn't been used more than once is Peter, the name of the first pope, though there's no prohibition against doing so.
—Christopher Watson, ABC News, 8 May 2025
Turkson resigned from that role in 2021 and was appointed to head two pontifical academies on sciences and social sciences.
—Philip Pullella, Crispian Balmer, Alvise Armellini, Joshua McElwee and Chris Scicluna, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pontifical
Adjective
-
However, everyone is highly opinionated today, including you.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Roher, who won an Oscar for best documentary feature for 2022’s Navalny, is opinionated—not just about the festival moving from Park City to Boulder, but on a whole host of topics.—
John Ross,
Vanity Fair,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The messaging from China’s Communist government may once have been dogmatic and rigid — not anymore.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
For many — especially free-spirited hippies, wooks, and the whole wide jam-band universe — the dogmatic style of traditional programs can be a turnoff, an impediment to accessing a path forward.—
David Manheim,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Consumers were facing stubborn inflation even before the war.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
But the unpopular war with Iran and stubborn affordability issues have given Democrats cause to be more hopeful about their chances of flipping key seats and even winning control of the Senate.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Following their Play-In loss, Leonard was non-committal about his future, but Frank was adamant about the team’s intentions.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
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The police were very adamant from early on in the investigation that no one in the Guthrie family was involved.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
On the left, Anderson trots out stock characters — the oversexed Black woman revolutionary, Leo's cuckolded white stoner, doctrinaire newcomers — from a Bob Hope skit about hippies.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Houston Chronicle,
25 Mar. 2026
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Yet both sides of the weight-loss debate became attached to impossibly doctrinaire positions.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pontifical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pontifical. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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