as in deposing
to remove from a position of prominence or power (as a throne)
the movie's director was defrocked for going way over budget
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defrocking
Verb
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To justify going to war against Iraq—which had played no role at all in the 9/11 attacks—Cheney reached into the bureaucracies to cherry-pick intelligence that would support deposing Saddam.—
Karl Vick,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025 -
Just five days later, on September 9, demonstrators stormed and set fire to key government buildings, deposing the administration, as the BBC reported.—
Javier Bastardo,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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If Haaland isn’t my choice here, there should be serious consideration at The Athletic about sacking me.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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The defensive line took advantage of a weak Auburn O-line, sacking Arnold five times.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, dismissing the man who traded away fan-favorite Luka Dončić in one of the most shocking NBA trades in recent memory.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
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On Wednesday, in documents obtained by Rolling Stone, a California superior court judge overseeing the lawsuit ruled in favor of Kardashian and the anti-SLAPP motion, effectively dismissing the other Cantu’s lawsuit, though the judge left open the possibility of an appeal.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Defrocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defrocking. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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