as in ministerial
of, relating to, or characteristic of the clergy
clerical duties such as providing spiritual counseling and leading Bible study classes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church
some of the state's most prominent clericals have spoken out against the measure
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clerical
Dan Gooding
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
The law only allows schools to recognize changes made to birth certificates that were made to correct a clerical error.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2025
The recent war has exposed the fragility of Iran’s clerical regime, and made planning for leadership succession an even more urgent matter.
—Ilan Berman, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The new union, College of DuPage Staff United/AFSCME, will represent classified staff, including administrative, clerical, IT and other employees who support students and faculty, a news release said.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clerical
Adjective
The troops, who come from various military branches and were deployed last week, will provide logistical, administrative and clerical support at ICE detention facilities.
—Dan Gooding
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
The law only allows schools to recognize changes made to birth certificates that were made to correct a clerical error.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2025
The recent war has exposed the fragility of Iran’s clerical regime, and made planning for leadership succession an even more urgent matter.
—Ilan Berman, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The new union, College of DuPage Staff United/AFSCME, will represent classified staff, including administrative, clerical, IT and other employees who support students and faculty, a news release said.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for clerical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clerical
Adjective
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Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, speaks at the opening ceremony of the China-CELAC Forum ministerial meeting at the Great Hall of People in Beijing on May 13 and U.S. President Donald Trump at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
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According to the plaintiffs, the city should have processed the project application on a discretionary basis but instead has handled them all on a ministerial basis, based on set standards rather than individual judgments.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The nurse called the priest to do an exorcism on the house and bless the nurse and her roommate.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
5 Aug. 2025
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The Trump administration had faced pressure to release Go, the daughter of an Episcopal priest, from religious groups and at least one lawmaker from within the president’s own party.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In a work as captivated with pastoral landscapes as the haunting glow of a tube TV, Vermette extracts possibility from every shot, down to crossfading that recalls the expressiveness of silent cinema.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 Aug. 2025
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This walking safari follows ancient game trails and pastoral routes, still used by local communities, leading to remote areas otherwise unreachable by road.—
Emese Maczko,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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One example is the popular itinerant preacher known as the Public Universal Friend.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025
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The 83-year-old was a preacher of 55 years from Kansas City, Mo., who rarely appeared without a suit and one of his many beloved ties.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
19 July 2025
Noun
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The streets belonged as much to students, feminists, merchants, liberals, and industrial workers as to clerics.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 Aug. 2025
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The 86-year-old cleric wields absolute authority in Iran, though the IRGC has steadily consolidated influence over key mechanisms of power, including the economy, throughout his 36-year rule.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clerical. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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