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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Recent Examples of clerical
Nik Popli, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
This model took shape in the second half of the nineteenth century, when Congress began to compensate clerical assistants working under both the State Department and the attorney general for their roles in the pardoning process.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Rasmussen was wearing her clerical robes and was thrown to the ground by a sheriff in plainclothes.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Examples may include retail workers, warehouse employees, factory workers, construction workers, and most clerical and administrative staff.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clerical
Adjective
The demonstrations, sparked by economic distress and anger at Iran’s clerical rulers, were met with a sweeping crackdown that activists say has killed thousands.
—Nik Popli, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
This model took shape in the second half of the nineteenth century, when Congress began to compensate clerical assistants working under both the State Department and the attorney general for their roles in the pardoning process.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Rasmussen was wearing her clerical robes and was thrown to the ground by a sheriff in plainclothes.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Examples may include retail workers, warehouse employees, factory workers, construction workers, and most clerical and administrative staff.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clerical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clerical
Adjective
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Binali Yıldırım, a loyal supporter, took on prime ministerial duties.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The draft ministerial order, which was published just before the holidays, is part of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s commitment to cut red tape in the federal government.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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What to expect at the installation Mass The longer-than-normal Mass will have a large attendance with many religious figures such as bishops, priests, deacons and other guests.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Hundreds of visitors have visited the chapel in recent days to take photos of the image, the parish priest Father Daniele Micheletti said.—
Barbie Latza Nadeau,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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As Archbishop, Hicks will be in a position to do things differently from the bully pulpit of New York—to carry forward Francis’s pastoral flexibility and identification with people on society’s margins.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
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Editor Martin Ivanov’s empathetic, dreamlike cutting underscores the symbiosis between humans and storks in a pastoral world before it is disrupted by capitalism.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Jim Sawyer, a gentlemanly preacher and city council member whose public service had been winding towards a peaceful conclusion, was asked to replace him.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Scott said in a statement of his father playing multiple roles as a preacher, priest or pastor.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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With Hicks, Leo is appointing a cleric who seems both like himself and distinctly different from the boisterous Cardinal Dolan.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
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The men will join a long procession of clerics in the walk to the main altar.—
Tony Aiello,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clerical. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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