1
a
capitalized
: roman catholic
Her son goes to a Catholic school.
b
often capitalized
: of, relating to, or forming the church universal
c
often capitalized
: of, relating to, or forming the ancient undivided Christian church or a church claiming historical continuity from it
2
: comprehensive, universal
especially
: broad in sympathies, tastes, or interests
a catholic taste in music
1
: a member of a Catholic church
especially
: roman catholic
2
: a person who belongs to the universal Christian church
Synonyms
Examples of catholic in a Sentence
Adjective
She is a novelist who is catholic in her interests.
a museum director with catholic tastes in art
Recent Examples on the Web
Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 14 July 2023
Aclose friend, an art historian with good, catholic taste, sent me a text message from the high-end opening of the Armory Show.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 15 Sep. 2022
Only God can enlighten the hearts of the faithful to preserve us in the profession of the same catholic faith.
—Fr. Goran Jovicic, National Review, 13 June 2021
These catholic tastes are unusual, especially since herpesviruses usually stick to one specific host.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 16 Aug. 2012
Play is the substrate of autoconstrucción and its driving force, even as Cruzvillegas alternately breaks up and buttresses the idea with a catholic range of historical and artistic touchpoints, interests and memories.
—Christina Catherine Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2022
The opponents received the bulk of their money from Right to Life Michigan and the state's catholic conference.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 29 Oct. 2022
Godard, along with his friends and colleagues François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol, and Éric Rohmer (who was also the group’s elder statesman) shared a catholic love of movies.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2022
But his photography is at the heart of his catholic creativity.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 9 June 2022
John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2024
The youngest boy is Isaak, who played at Father Tolton Catholic High in Columbia, Mo., and the youngest girl is Jayda, a sophomore star at Columbia Rock Bridge High.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024
Gregory Boyle Father Greg Boyle is a Jesuit Catholic priest and the founder and director of Homeboy Industries, the world’s largest gang-intervention and rehabilitation program.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 3 May 2024
The Catholic Church disavowed the belief in 1965 and Pope Benedict XVI declared in 2011 that there was no scriptural evidence to back of the claim.
—Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2024
Baseball With one game left in the West Catholic Athletic League regular season, Serra has pulled even with Valley Christian atop the standings after results went the Padres’ way on Tuesday.
—Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 1 May 2024
The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church
by Rachel L. Swarns
Triumphs of Skepticism
Hilary Mantel wrote in favor of the doubting, the irreverent, and even the fickle against conservatism, nostalgia, and sentiment.
—The New York Review of Books, 30 Apr. 2024
The victim was born on April 20, 1953, and later baptized and confirmed, according to Brooklyn Catholic Church records.
—Marc Santia, NBC News, 29 Apr. 2024
Jewish law and certain religious organizations, like the Catholic Church, aren’t in favor of the process , but the way Americans are growing more secular and less religious plays into the appeal of NOR, too.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Team parents have made efforts to contact the superintendent of Archdiocese for support but got response that John Carroll is an independent catholic school.
—Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 14 July 2023
Aclose friend, an art historian with good, catholic taste, sent me a text message from the high-end opening of the Armory Show.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 15 Sep. 2022
Only God can enlighten the hearts of the faithful to preserve us in the profession of the same catholic faith.
—Fr. Goran Jovicic, National Review, 13 June 2021
These catholic tastes are unusual, especially since herpesviruses usually stick to one specific host.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 16 Aug. 2012
Play is the substrate of autoconstrucción and its driving force, even as Cruzvillegas alternately breaks up and buttresses the idea with a catholic range of historical and artistic touchpoints, interests and memories.
—Christina Catherine Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2022
The opponents received the bulk of their money from Right to Life Michigan and the state's catholic conference.
—Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 29 Oct. 2022
Godard, along with his friends and colleagues François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol, and Éric Rohmer (who was also the group’s elder statesman) shared a catholic love of movies.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2022
But his photography is at the heart of his catholic creativity.
—Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 9 June 2022
Noun
The game was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth when Cathedral Catholic left fielder Joseph Anderson delivered with two on, two out and a two-strike count.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2024
The youngest boy is Isaak, who played at Father Tolton Catholic High in Columbia, Mo., and the youngest girl is Jayda, a sophomore star at Columbia Rock Bridge High.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024
Gregory Boyle Father Greg Boyle is a Jesuit Catholic priest and the founder and director of Homeboy Industries, the world’s largest gang-intervention and rehabilitation program.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 3 May 2024
The Catholic Church disavowed the belief in 1965 and Pope Benedict XVI declared in 2011 that there was no scriptural evidence to back of the claim.
—Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2024
Baseball With one game left in the West Catholic Athletic League regular season, Serra has pulled even with Valley Christian atop the standings after results went the Padres’ way on Tuesday.
—Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 1 May 2024
The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church
by Rachel L. Swarns
Triumphs of Skepticism
Hilary Mantel wrote in favor of the doubting, the irreverent, and even the fickle against conservatism, nostalgia, and sentiment.
—The New York Review of Books, 30 Apr. 2024
The victim was born on April 20, 1953, and later baptized and confirmed, according to Brooklyn Catholic Church records.
—Marc Santia, NBC News, 29 Apr. 2024
Jewish law and certain religious organizations, like the Catholic Church, aren’t in favor of the process , but the way Americans are growing more secular and less religious plays into the appeal of NOR, too.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'catholic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near catholic
Cite this Entry
“Catholic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catholic. Accessed 7 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
catholic
1 of 2 adjective
cath·o·lic
ˈkath-(ə-)lik 
1
2
: broad in sympathies, tastes, or interests
a catholic taste in music
Catholicism
noun
kə-ˈthäl-ə-ˌsiz-əm
Catholic
2 of 2 noun2
: a member of the Roman Catholic church
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share