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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defrocking
Verb
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Some are counting on the United States deposing him, Saddam Hussein-style (or Salvador Allende-style, or Manuel Noriega-style).—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
22 Nov. 2025 -
Attorneys deposing Bovino played him a clip of the incident.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In other soccer sacking news, Celtic parted with Wilfried Nancy after just 33 days in charge.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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The Seahawks harassed Purdy throughout the night, sacking him three times and hitting him eight more.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Confidence can tip into defensiveness, so your challenge has a lot to do with asserting boundaries without emotional withdrawal and honoring your needs without dismissing others.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
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The president spoke little about democracy in Venezuela, dismissing a potential role for its longstanding democratic opposition in running the country in the immediate aftermath of the operation.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Defrocking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defrocking. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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