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
  • Deadhead your chaste tree in late winter to promote flowering in the spring and summer months.
    Steve Bender, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
  • Features chaste berry, cramp bark, shatavari root, dandelion root and ginger.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • Like Ash Wednesday, Good Friday is a day where Catholics are obliged to fast and stay abstinent throughout the day until midnight.
    Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Adjective
  • Margaret Prior is almost thirty, unmarried, depressed, and living with her overbearing mother.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
  • Married joint filers with MAGI above $250,000 and unmarried taxpayers with MAGIs above $200,000 are subject to the tax.
    Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Adjective
  • Brides were expected, in most cultures at various points in history, to be virginal, pure and dedicated to their husbands.
    Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
  • Each statue the perfect epitome of silent, mothering, virginal womanhood that Ireland had come to worship.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 May 2026
Adjective
  • Two of the victims were shot and one, an innocent housewife, was buried alive.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 28 May 2026
  • Slater was injured during an innocent-looking drill during training camp and sat out all season.
    Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
Adjective
  • Start with a high-quality extra virgin olive oil, then load it up with herbs, garlic, olives, and spices.
    Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 May 2026
  • Working under the moniker Monday Morning Lab, the brewery (which will be run by a trio of experienced brewers) will now produce non-alcoholic beers, not only for the bottle shops, but for Southern California breweries lacking the expertise and equipment to manufacture virgin suds.
    Brandon Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Celibate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/celibate. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.

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