apostolic

adjective

Definition of apostolicnext
as in episcopal

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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 apostolic Like his apostolic namesake, Thomas believes unquestioningly in the evidence of his senses. — Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026 Pope Leo at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa on Monday, the second day of his apostolic visit to Lebanon. — Alexander Smith, NBC news, 3 Dec. 2025 All those present in the audience in the Vatican’s apostolic palace met Leo personally at the end, with Lee presenting the first American pope with a New York Knicks jersey. — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025 Until then, Vigneron will serve as apostolic administrator for the Detroit archdiocese. — Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for apostolic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apostolic
  1. episcopal
  2. papal
  3. evangelical
  4. clerical
  5. ministerial
  6. pastoral
  7. sacerdotal
  8. pontifical
Adjective
  • After returning to the United States, Novakovic attended an Episcopal boarding school in San Antonio, Texas.
    — byRachel Cole, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 May 2026
  • On New Year’s Eve in 1996, Christou followed Deadbeat with a club at a former Episcopal church that was built in 1865.
    — Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026
Definition of episcopal
Adjective
  • From November 6 to 17, the pope is scheduled to take 14 flights (including two in a helicopter), give 36 speeches and participate in around 50 events in what is one of the most intense papal trips of recent years.
    — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026
  • West initially imagined his look through the imagery of the early papacy—particularly the period when the papal court moved from Rome to Avignon.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of papal
Adjective
  • South America remains the continent with the largest Catholic population, although recent years has seen a decline in numbers, and the rise of evangelical churches.
    — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2026
  • As evangelical Christians grew into a crucial voting bloc for the Republican Party, communist accusations against the left have appeared now and again to mobilize the base.
    — Benjamin Stephen, Vox, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of evangelical
Adjective
  • Tournament eligibility should be based on a team's record, not on clerical errors.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Survivors say the Vatican has not announced a decision on his clerical status despite receiving a formal report from the Diocese of Morón.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of clerical
Adjective
  • Tankers carrying Russian diesel are sailing to the United States, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to attend a G20 ministerial meeting in Atlanta starting Friday, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Kamalvandi made the remarks while discussing Iran's participation in an international ministerial conference on nuclear energy in South Korea.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of ministerial
Adjective
  • Vyn, the number 23 restaurant, is located within a pastoral fishing village of about 7,000 people in southern Sweden.
    — Nathan Tavares, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Built in 1829 and recently restored by design firm Hendricks Churchill, the Seminary is a five-bedroom micro-hotel hidden away in the pastoral town of Old Bennington.
    — Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of pastoral
Adjective
  • Prosperity is lauded dozens of times in the Book of Mormon, so knocking for commissions can feel almost sacerdotal.
    — Tad Friend, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2022
  • Diminution drains this office of the sacerdotal pomposities that have encrusted it.
    — Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 1 Aug. 2017
Definition of sacerdotal
Adjective
  • In another decree published Monday, Leo canceled Francis’ plans to move some of the Vatican’s secret archives and library holdings out of the city state and onto the grounds of a pontifical university across town.
    — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Leo opened his visit to Pompeii by meeting with sick and disabled people who are cared for by a charity center affiliated with the sanctuary, which Leo’s namesake, Pope Leo XIII, declared a pontifical basilica in 1901.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Definition of pontifical

Browse Nearby Words

apostles
apostolic
apothecaries
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Cite this Entry

“Apostolic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apostolic. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about apostolic

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