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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clerical
Abby Monteil, Them., 1 Apr. 2025
Economically, Iran's clerical leadership has presided over deepening stagnation during its four-and-a-half decades in power.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
The policy prompted several lawsuits from gun dealers who argued their licenses were revoked over minor clerical errors.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 12 Mar. 2025
The sociologist Asef Bayat has documented the impact of everyday resistance against the Islamic Republic’s repression, gradually challenging both the clerical establishment and traditional patriarchal beliefs.
—Narges Mohammadi, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clerical
Adjective
Even if a student were to change the gender on their birth certificate they wouldn’t be allowed to play, because state law only recognizes changes to birth certificates that result from clerical error.
—Abby Monteil, Them., 1 Apr. 2025
Economically, Iran's clerical leadership has presided over deepening stagnation during its four-and-a-half decades in power.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
The policy prompted several lawsuits from gun dealers who argued their licenses were revoked over minor clerical errors.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 12 Mar. 2025
The sociologist Asef Bayat has documented the impact of everyday resistance against the Islamic Republic’s repression, gradually challenging both the clerical establishment and traditional patriarchal beliefs.
—Narges Mohammadi, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clerical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clerical
Adjective
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The British Foreign Office confirmed that ministerial Ukraine peace talks with U.S. and European counterparts were postponed and downgraded to behind-the-scenes meetings with officials.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
23 Apr. 2025
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Aimee had three ministerial assistants and a board of seven elders, along with 21 deacons — 14 of them women.—
Claire Hoffman,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Francis rose through the ranks as a Jesuit priest in his home country of Argentina.—
Susan Miller,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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Following in the footsteps of his older brother Brian, Farrell entered the Legionaries of Christ congregation in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1978 in Rome.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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From his choice of a single wooden coffin to burial outside the Vatican, the funeral ceremonies underscore his efforts to reshape the image of the papacy away from grandeur and toward pastoral service.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
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The reforms have been examined through a structure called the Synod of Bishops, which has been the primary vehicle through which the pope has implemented his pastoral agenda during his papacy.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But while the Gemstones themselves have embraced Kelvin and his coming out, the rest of the world — particularly rival preacher Vance Simkins (Stephen Dorff), Kelvin’s competition for the ridiculous title of Top Christ-Following Man — is more critical.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2025
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Preacher Boy shows off his heavenly voice and affinity for jazz music, but his father, an actual preacher, rebukes the genre as the devil’s music, like most good Christians did back then.—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang,
Refinery29,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Pope Francis bucked that tradition when he was elected, instead choosing his name to honor St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century cleric now celebrated in the church as the patron saint of animals and the environment.—
Christopher Watson,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2025
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Riyadh severed ties with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in the Iranian capital following the execution of a Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia.—
Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clerical. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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