as in deposed
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 defrocked
The priest who married them was really defrocked.
—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA defrocked Chief Executive Officer Luigi Lovaglio in an effort to end a bruising period of leadership turmoil.
—
Sonia Sirletti,
Bloomberg,
25 Mar. 2026
Kiesle was finally defrocked in 1987.
—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
22 Mar. 2026
While a review board deemed the abuse credible, the Vatican -- at the urging of then-Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin -- let Allard retire rather than be defrocked.
—
Arkansas Online,
24 Feb. 2026
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA defrocked Chief Executive Officer Luigi Lovaglio in an effort to end a bruising period of leadership turmoil.
—
Sonia Sirletti,
Bloomberg,
25 Mar. 2026
Kiesle was finally defrocked in 1987.
—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
22 Mar. 2026
While a review board deemed the abuse credible, the Vatican -- at the urging of then-Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin -- let Allard retire rather than be defrocked.
—
Arkansas Online,
24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defrocked
Verb
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On June 23, Los Angeles County Court declined to compel Woods to be deposed in California, as the defendants' legal team requested.
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The earthquakes pose a great challenge to Rodriguez, the former vice president whose governing coalition took shape after the United States mounted an operation that captured and deposed President Nicolás Maduro.
Verb
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That came in the spring of 2025, about 11 months after his dad had been sacked as coach, when Pochettino, the new manager, gave the younger Berhalter his first national team call-up.
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Alfaro had just been sacked by San Lorenzo, his eighth job in 14 years since starting as a 30-year-old following a brief playing career in Argentina.
Verb
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If he was dismissed without cause, his contract provides for a minimum 12-month payout.
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After earlier false rumors involving tsunami threats and the collapse of major transportation links, Rodríguez dismissed new viral claims about infrastructure failures, urging the public to rely exclusively on official sources.
Cite this Entry
“Defrocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defrocked. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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