as in dogmatical
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
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
Gregory and Benedict are also popular pontifical names with 16 and 15 uses, respectively,while Innocent and Leo come close behind with 13 uses each.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
Francis had established the Holy See’s first pontifical commission for the protection of minors early on in his reign.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 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
The prose is confiding and, in places, pontifical.
—Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2020
That revelation, coupled with other recent pontifical critiques, have quickly dissolved the notion that the Dec. 31 death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a symbolic leader of the church’s conservative wing, might lessen the opposition to Francis.
—Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2023
Because of its original purpose, however, the building also has its peculiarities: the pontifical horses lived in grand style on two levels of soaring stalls, connected by a monumental, gently sloping ramp of travertine bricks.
—Ingrid D. Rowland, The New York Review of Books, 20 Aug. 2020
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
Gregory and Benedict are also popular pontifical names with 16 and 15 uses, respectively,while Innocent and Leo come close behind with 13 uses each.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
Francis had established the Holy See’s first pontifical commission for the protection of minors early on in his reign.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 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
The prose is confiding and, in places, pontifical.
—Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2020
That revelation, coupled with other recent pontifical critiques, have quickly dissolved the notion that the Dec. 31 death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a symbolic leader of the church’s conservative wing, might lessen the opposition to Francis.
—Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2023
Because of its original purpose, however, the building also has its peculiarities: the pontifical horses lived in grand style on two levels of soaring stalls, connected by a monumental, gently sloping ramp of travertine bricks.
—Ingrid D. Rowland, The New York Review of Books, 20 Aug. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pontifical
Adjective
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One legitimate worry is that some people will be dogmatic and unyielding when courteously informed that AI is not sentient.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
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Harvard is too hubristic, too fat and prosperous, too insular, too aloof, and too dogmatic to admit that it’s erred ...—
Brian T. Allen,
National Review,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
The fizzing reaction can help remove stubborn residues.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
27 July 2025
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Beneath its surface were deep, dark scars—grooves cut through the rock by old lava flows, now overgrown with stubborn green.—
Tess Moormans,
Travel + Leisure,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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No one said the ’05 team wasn’t an opinionated bunch.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
13 July 2025
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Rhea Perlman and Rita Wilson appear as Jess’ highly opinionated, codependent mother and grandmother.—
Elaina Patton,
IndieWire,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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Since camp got underway, he's been adamant that winning games is far more important than his personal stats.—
Kevin McCormick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
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Liverpool communicated an interest in acquiring the Sweden international for around £120m, though Newcastle have been adamant for months that Isak is not for sale.—
David Ornstein,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Beloved by conservatives, Sarah would signal a return to the doctrinaire and liturgically minded papacies of John Paul II and Benedict.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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The deeper driver of Venezuela’s implosion isn’t Maduro’s doctrinaire adherence to socialism but, rather, the country’s slide into kleptocracy.—
Moisés Naím,
Foreign Affairs,
27 Jan. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Pontifical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pontifical. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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