celibate

Definition of celibatenext
as in chaste
not engaging in sexual intercourse celibate monks and nuns They have chosen to lead celibate lives.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of celibate In 1807, the Harmonists took a vow to remain celibate, which required them to build more community houses as the number of unwed society members grew. Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 30 Dec. 2025 And Shakers are celibate – one of the practices that most startled their neighbors in 18th- and 19th-century America. Christian Goodwillie, The Conversation, 22 Dec. 2025 And celibacy, as Christ was celibate. Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025 For many traditionalists, effective enforcement of this teaching would mean cracking down on homosexuality among the clergy, including gay clergy who are celibate and chaste. Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018 See All Example Sentences for celibate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for celibate
Adjective
  • Deadhead your chaste tree in late winter to promote flowering in the spring and summer months.
    Steve Bender, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
  • Features chaste berry, cramp bark, shatavari root, dandelion root and ginger.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • One of the sacrifices Dolan mentioned in his speech was staying abstinent.
    Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
  • Like Ash Wednesday, Good Friday is a day where Catholics are obliged to fast and stay abstinent throughout the day until midnight.
    Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Women can bear arms, although unmarried ones traditionally display them on a diamond (known as a lozenge) or oval shape, rather than a shield.
    Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
  • Meg, an 11-year-old orphan living at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum; Birdie, an unmarried woman seeking help from her sister; and Charlie, a woman on the run from her past.
    Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
Adjective
  • Brides were expected, in most cultures at various points in history, to be virginal, pure and dedicated to their husbands.
    Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
  • Each statue the perfect epitome of silent, mothering, virginal womanhood that Ireland had come to worship.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 May 2026
Adjective
  • Authorities say a suspect who was eight months pregnant crashed her car into a Sturbridge, Massachusetts hotel early Thursday morning and then started shooting, critically injuring an innocent bystander at the hotel before turning the gun on herself.
    Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 18 June 2026
  • The deaths of innocent Americans, and misleading the public on the rationale for their deaths, played a role in her departure.
    Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2026
Adjective
  • The membrane performed just as well on lighter refinery streams, such as virgin naphtha.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 June 2026
  • Human-rights concerns span the entire polyester production chain, from crude oil extraction for virgin production to the collection of plastic waste for recycling.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 17 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Celibate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/celibate. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

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