conclave

noun

Definition of conclavenext
as in synod
formal a private or secret meeting or group a conclave of bishops

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conclave Trump also implied that Leo − the first pope born in the United States − was chosen by the conclave last year, partly in response to his own leadership. — Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 4 May 2026 Around the corner from Henry and Miller’s conclave is a sumptuous new commission by Bethany Joy Collins. — Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026 His death, at 88, set the stage for the conclave that elected Leo a few weeks later. — ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026 The pope hasn’t visited the US since his selection at the papal conclave in May 2025 and doesn’t have plans to visit this year, according to the Vatican. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conclave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conclave
  1. synod
  2. meeting
  3. gathering
  4. caucus
  5. convention
Noun
  • The testimony of the gay men, contained in annexes published on the Vatican's synod website, featured moving accounts of how one, from Portugal, came to terms with his homosexuality and married his husband.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 May 2026
  • Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, spent two weeks sitting with Fuanya at the same table during Pope Francis’ 2024 big meeting, or synod, on the family.
    — Nicole Winfield, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Definition of synod
Noun
  • Research from Accor found that one face‑to‑face meeting delivered the impact of roughly three virtual meetings, while 35% explicitly said the extra time and travel costs were worthwhile because of the business value created.
    — Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • On Sunday, Kushner held a rare meeting with Hamas’ new leader, Khalil al-Hayya, in El Alamein in Egypt.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of meeting
Noun
  • Unfortunately, pandemic restrictions on public gatherings meant there was no championship parade, and the title proved to be the lone triumph of James’ Lakers era.
    — Law Murray, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Pat is a little bit like an inappropriate uncle at a family gathering in the 1970s.
    — Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of gathering
Noun
  • Roger Niello The moderate Sacramento Republican wins a caucus vote to become State Senate minority leader.
    — Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike in the Senate, where Democratic votes can be necessary to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold, Jeffries commands a minority caucus in a chamber where Republicans can pass most legislation with a simple majority.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of caucus
Noun
  • Instead of following the hypercar convention of using a carbon-fiber monocoque, Okuyama selected an aluminum spaceframe.
    — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Yet Saint-Tropez remains stubbornly itself, with social rituals and unspoken conventions that aren't always obvious at first.
    — Lanie Goodman, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of convention

Browse Nearby Words

concision
conclave
conclaves
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Cite this Entry

“Conclave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conclave. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on conclave

Nglish: Translation of conclave for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conclave

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