as in adherents
one who follows the opinions or teachings of another
a highly influential economist whose acolytes can be found at many major universities
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of acolytes
Ann and her acolytes journey to America to find more followers—a portion of the tale that feels more adrift but then finds its footing, largely thanks to another musical interlude.
—
Radhika Seth, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2025
Some acolytes have even gotten tattoos of the studio’s logo.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Andreessen would agree with Abundance acolytes that the first step is to eliminate unnecessary regulation.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
So while some Barnes students rebelled, others became acolytes.
—Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
Often imitated but never duplicated, this show’s universal influence has stood the test of time more than any other title on this list and continues to be reinterpreted and reinvented for both new fans and older acolytes.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2025
The second night, the Manson acolytes killed Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary in similar fashion, leaving bloody ominous messages on walls and over doorways.
—TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
Where Musk and his acolytes see speed and efficiency, Democratic lawmakers see corruption.
—Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
If Alexander was the progenitor of the messianic imperialism that Putin expresses today, Alexander’s most imaginative acolytes were poets and novelists, not his court propagandists.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
Radhika Seth, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2025
Some acolytes have even gotten tattoos of the studio’s logo.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Andreessen would agree with Abundance acolytes that the first step is to eliminate unnecessary regulation.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
So while some Barnes students rebelled, others became acolytes.
—Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
Often imitated but never duplicated, this show’s universal influence has stood the test of time more than any other title on this list and continues to be reinterpreted and reinvented for both new fans and older acolytes.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2025
The second night, the Manson acolytes killed Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary in similar fashion, leaving bloody ominous messages on walls and over doorways.
—TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
Where Musk and his acolytes see speed and efficiency, Democratic lawmakers see corruption.
—Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
If Alexander was the progenitor of the messianic imperialism that Putin expresses today, Alexander’s most imaginative acolytes were poets and novelists, not his court propagandists.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acolytes
Noun
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After the Great Black Migration in the 1920s, our city was one of the centers of the Ku Klux Klan’s revival as the strongest populist movement of the decade, claiming 5 million adherents, with 50,000 in Chicago alone.—
Jackson Potter,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Aug. 2025
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To adherents, Nakamoto is considered a hero who empowered individuals to take back control of money.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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By the end of the season, Unrivaled’s main accounts across six platforms reached nearly 400,000 followers, while its clubs added another 334,000 combined.—
Roberta F. Rodrigues,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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By then Kirk had amassed millions of followers across social media, and The Charlie Kirk Show became one of the most popular political podcasts in the country.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Over 20 years, Belichick disciples became prone to treating players as disposable assets instead of human beings they are supposed to both employ and empower.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
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The list of actors playing Jesus and his disciples includes Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin and Dave Thomas, plus musical director Paul Shaffer, all of whom would go on to have renowned careers on stage and screen.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Acolytes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acolytes. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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