as in purity
abstention from sexual intercourse
a widower who has maintained absolute celibacy since the death of his wife
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Recent Examples of celibacy
Speaking with host Sherri Shepherd, the R&B singer shared more on his past experience with practicing celibacy, as well as his thoughts on nontraditional relationships.
—
Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 4 Mar. 2025
After witnessing that, Gregory made the decision to join the priesthood and took a vow of celibacy.
—Michael Pollan, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
Ouellet defended priestly celibacy for the Latin Rite church and upheld the ban on women’s ordination but called for women to have a greater role in church governance.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
The popular dating app Bumble is canceling an ad campaign that derides celibacy to promote its matchmaking service.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 14 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for celibacy
Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 4 Mar. 2025
After witnessing that, Gregory made the decision to join the priesthood and took a vow of celibacy.
—Michael Pollan, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
Ouellet defended priestly celibacy for the Latin Rite church and upheld the ban on women’s ordination but called for women to have a greater role in church governance.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
The popular dating app Bumble is canceling an ad campaign that derides celibacy to promote its matchmaking service.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 14 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for celibacy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for celibacy
Noun
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That’s a sprawling site that has been operating since 2003, and where Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
21 June 2025
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These centrifuges had been enriching up to 5 percent purity, according to experts.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Noun
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He’s taken vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and lived in a community with other priests.—
Erika Page,
Christian Science Monitor,
8 May 2025
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The dismissal came after a more than year long dispute between the nuns and the diocese that began when Olson investigated a report that the nuns’ leader, the Rev. Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach, broke her chastity vows with a priest from outside the diocese.—
Elizabeth Campbell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Sources also detailed how Tait had allegedly long abused drugs and alcohol, despite years of encouraging sobriety and abstinence in his music.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
13 June 2025
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The six books below describe other forms of abundance found, counterintuitively, through abstinence.—
Melissa Febos,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Celibacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/celibacy. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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