as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church
clerics were sharply divided on the issue of whether the war was morally justified
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Recent Examples of cleric
Even so, anti-Zionist sentiment was widespread in Iran, stoked by its Shia clerics.
—
The Week Uk, TheWeek, 8 Mar. 2026
The announcement came on the ninth day of the war and after signs of a rift among Iranian officials as the country awaited a decision by the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a group of clerics that selects Iran’s supreme leader.
—Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
The post-midnight announcement came after signs of a rift among Iranian officials as the country awaited a decision by the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a group of clerics that selects the supreme leader.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The new leader is required to be a man and must be an Islamic cleric under Iranian law.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleric
The Week Uk, TheWeek, 8 Mar. 2026
The announcement came on the ninth day of the war and after signs of a rift among Iranian officials as the country awaited a decision by the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a group of clerics that selects Iran’s supreme leader.
—Dallas Morning News, 8 Mar. 2026
The post-midnight announcement came after signs of a rift among Iranian officials as the country awaited a decision by the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a group of clerics that selects the supreme leader.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The new leader is required to be a man and must be an Islamic cleric under Iranian law.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleric
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleric
Noun
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Ultimately, the pharaoh’s prescient spiritual optimism comes in conflict with the all-powerful establishment priests, who kill Akhnaten and Nefertiti.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The fourth priest died after being deemed incompetent to stand trial in 2022.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Like any good country preacher, Jackson could move people to tears and move them to act.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
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Young African Methodist Episcopal preacher Theophilus Gould Steward traveled South from New Jersey to minister during the conflict.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleric. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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