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
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
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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But they have not been deposed or called as witnesses here.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
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Back in 2012 when the NFL was fighting that legal battle against gambling on games, Goodell was deposed under oath.—
Nick Watt,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In a 16-3 Wild Card loss to the Patriots, New England sacked Justin Herbert six times as part of 11 quarterback hits.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
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The administration sacked Greg Bovino, the Customs and Border Protection official who had become the front man for aggressive enforcement.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In that context, historic preservation can be dismissed as sentimental, optional or even indulgent.—
Jennifer N. Pritzker,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
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At a time of ballooning deficits, that shouldn’t be dismissed.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defrocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defrocked. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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