: opposed to clericalism or to the interference or influence of the clergy in secular affairs
anticlerical
noun
Examples of anticlerical in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Assisting him in the enterprise were heteronyms such as Carlos Otto, who translated detective fiction, Joaquim Moura-Costa, the author of an anticlerical lampoon, and Vicente Guedes, who later added pages to The Book of Disquiet.
—
Benjamin Kunkel, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021
Champollion was brash, romantic, outspoken, anticlerical, and antimonarchist.
—Ursula Lindsey, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2021
The radical left, though, has always been violently anticlerical.
—Dominic Green, WSJ, 26 Sep. 2020
In the years since the 2015 attack, Charlie Hebdo, an heir to a long tradition of French anticlerical irreverence, has become a national symbol.
—James McAuley, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2020
And though many of the tougher anticlerical laws have been eased in modern times, church-state separation remains entrenched as a core political concept.
—Washington Post, 18 Dec. 2019
Though witches have most often been treated throughout history as evil in both fiction and in real life, sentiments began to change in the 19th century as anticlerical, individualist values took hold across Europe.
—Pam Grossman, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2019
In 1881, as the burial procession of Pope Pius IX (1792-1878) neared the Tiber River in Rome, anticlerical protesters breached the escort and attempted to throw the papal bier into the murky water.
—Thomas Albert Howard, WSJ, 5 Feb. 2019
As the heir to a long tradition of French anticlerical irreverence — the likes of which Voltaire would have been proud — the magazine was always meant to scandalize and offend, Lançon said.
—James McAuley, Washington Post, 26 May 2018
Benjamin Kunkel, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021
Champollion was brash, romantic, outspoken, anticlerical, and antimonarchist.
—Ursula Lindsey, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2021
The radical left, though, has always been violently anticlerical.
—Dominic Green, WSJ, 26 Sep. 2020
In the years since the 2015 attack, Charlie Hebdo, an heir to a long tradition of French anticlerical irreverence, has become a national symbol.
—James McAuley, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2020
And though many of the tougher anticlerical laws have been eased in modern times, church-state separation remains entrenched as a core political concept.
—Washington Post, 18 Dec. 2019
Though witches have most often been treated throughout history as evil in both fiction and in real life, sentiments began to change in the 19th century as anticlerical, individualist values took hold across Europe.
—Pam Grossman, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2019
In 1881, as the burial procession of Pope Pius IX (1792-1878) neared the Tiber River in Rome, anticlerical protesters breached the escort and attempted to throw the papal bier into the murky water.
—Thomas Albert Howard, WSJ, 5 Feb. 2019
As the heir to a long tradition of French anticlerical irreverence — the likes of which Voltaire would have been proud — the magazine was always meant to scandalize and offend, Lançon said.
—James McAuley, Washington Post, 26 May 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anticlerical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1759, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near anticlerical
Cite this Entry
“Anticlerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anticlerical. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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