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 The former Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood star, who was a member of the boy band B2K before going solo in 2005, is no longer celibate, and is a father to son Megaa, 11, and daughter A’mei, 9, with ex-girlfriend Apryl Jones. Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 18 Nov. 2025 While the audience was instantly compelled by her newscaster cadence, pearl clutching, and disastrous, celibate relationship, her fellow Housewives thought it was all put on for the cameras. Tom Smyth, Vulture, 14 Nov. 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
  • Most notable of these other wives is Vrinda, the chaste wife of the demon Jalandhar.
    Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
  • The best time to prune chaste tree is in late winter.
    Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • At the end of six months, those who had taken just one dose of psilocybin had more than six times greater odds of being abstinent from cigarettes than their counterparts who relied on the nicotine substitute.
    Will Stone, NPR, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Some people want to remain abstinent to focus on their own personal growth, while others have resorted to it after becoming frustrated with today's dating culture.
    Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The San Jose Sharks missed an opportunity Tuesday to finish a cross-continent road trip on a positive note and make up some ground in their bid for a playoff spot.
    Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Recent developments include cross-continent robotic surgeries between Rome and Beijing.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Old maid, too, though that’s kind of mean toward unmarried women.
    Marah Eakin, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Immigration law defines a child as anyone who is under 21 years old and unmarried.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel is a slow read with an out-of-time atmosphere, really one of the most virginal and repressed romance stories of all time.
    Anna Gaca, Pitchfork, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Our idols were allowed to either be good girls—militantly wholesome and seemingly virginal—or train wrecks, unmoored and wild, and thus subjected to a litany of bullying and ridicule for their actions.
    Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Chicagoans are ducking for cover as delivery robots turn into heat-seeking missiles for innocent glass structures.
    Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Deputies said the deadly shooting appeared to be gang-related, but believe Randolph was an innocent victim.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Ultra-fast fashion and a growing reliance on virgin polyester were among the factors behind the increase.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 26 Mar. 2026
  • And the same with Lake Elsinore, where Benavides spent four seasons as assistant general manager in a virgin minor league market serving southwest Riverside County.
    Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 16 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Celibate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/celibate. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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