as in priests
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 clerics
For the monks or clerics, it is presented as a material substance, carried like a sack of gold on the demon’s back; the metaphors used are monetary or economic, as though the monks owe ordered syllables to God instead of the monetary tithe their vows of poverty render unnecessary.
—
JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
Analysts point to how the restrictions have held, despite high-level pushback by other prominent clerics, and multiple attempts on the ground to sidestep the rules.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
That exquisitely rare skill — the ability to arrange a handful of ordinary notes in a way that makes time stop and pulses quicken — unites long-anonymous troubadours, symphonists, Broadway entertainers, earnest singer-songwriters, griots, and ancient clerics.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
The economy is the top challenge for Iran’s ruling clerics, who fear a revival of protests that have erupted since 2017 by lower and middle-income communities angry at growing poverty because of sanctions, mismanagement and state corruption.
—Parisa Hafezi, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Soliman is known as an elegant dresser, but his apartment was in bachelor-pad disarray, a reflection of his long hours at the hospital and the abruptness of his detention, said his friends, also clerics.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
While some conservative clerics still frown upon women taking part in beauty pageants, many others in the Muslim community have been supportive of Hashwi.
—Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The novelty of clerics at Davos signals a deeper realignment.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025
The real authority lies in the hands of Islamist clerics and militia leaders.
—Hadeel Oueis, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Aug. 2025
JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
Analysts point to how the restrictions have held, despite high-level pushback by other prominent clerics, and multiple attempts on the ground to sidestep the rules.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
That exquisitely rare skill — the ability to arrange a handful of ordinary notes in a way that makes time stop and pulses quicken — unites long-anonymous troubadours, symphonists, Broadway entertainers, earnest singer-songwriters, griots, and ancient clerics.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
The economy is the top challenge for Iran’s ruling clerics, who fear a revival of protests that have erupted since 2017 by lower and middle-income communities angry at growing poverty because of sanctions, mismanagement and state corruption.
—Parisa Hafezi, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Soliman is known as an elegant dresser, but his apartment was in bachelor-pad disarray, a reflection of his long hours at the hospital and the abruptness of his detention, said his friends, also clerics.
—Hannah Allam, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
While some conservative clerics still frown upon women taking part in beauty pageants, many others in the Muslim community have been supportive of Hashwi.
—Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 26 Aug. 2025
The novelty of clerics at Davos signals a deeper realignment.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2025
The real authority lies in the hands of Islamist clerics and militia leaders.
—Hadeel Oueis, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clerics
Noun
-
His remarks come after reports that priests and pastoral workers have been unable to bring communion to those detained.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Often affiliated with the state and temples, these people were typically royalty, high-level bureaucrats and priests.—
Serdar Yalçin,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The most gifted preachers transformed that aura into spiritual empires, drawing thousands to megachurches, filling television airwaves and sometimes amassing personal fortunes.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
30 Oct. 2025
-
While preachers preached, D’Angelo learned ministry from the choir stand, leading the flock to epiphany one measure at a time.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clerics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clerics. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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