as in to depose
to remove from a position of prominence or power (as a throne)
the movie's director was defrocked for going way over budget
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Recent Examples of defrock
He was removed from public ministry in 2003 and defrocked in 2020, but does not appear to have been charged in any criminal cases, the report said.
—
Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Robert Herguth, Chicago Sun-Times, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
Baker remained in the ministry until 2000, when he was defrocked, church records show.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024
David Kerr, a spokesman for the Diocese of Lansing, said now that DeLorenzo has pleaded guilty he will be formally defrocked.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 27 Apr. 2023
One exception is former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was defrocked in 2019 after abuse allegations surfaced.
—Fredrick Kunkle, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for defrock
Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Robert Herguth, Chicago Sun-Times, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
Baker remained in the ministry until 2000, when he was defrocked, church records show.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024
David Kerr, a spokesman for the Diocese of Lansing, said now that DeLorenzo has pleaded guilty he will be formally defrocked.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 27 Apr. 2023
One exception is former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was defrocked in 2019 after abuse allegations surfaced.
—Fredrick Kunkle, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for defrock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defrock
Verb
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Conspicuously absent in the edit is the follow-up question from the attorney deposing Cavanaugh, who asked whether DOGE actually managed to reduce the deficit.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
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But then those detectives were deposed and trapped themselves in lies.—
Paul Solotaroff,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2026
Verb
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But the Falcons’ collapse became more likely late in the fourth quarter when Trey Flowers sacked Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, who failed to throw the ball away on second-and-11 at the Patriots’ 23-yard line with less than four minutes to go.—
Zach Powell,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
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That statement stood in stark contrast to the longstanding stodginess of the Kings, which dissipated into flat-out ineffectiveness under Jim Hiller for three quarters of last season until he was sacked.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defrock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defrock. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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