as in ecclesiastic
of or relating to a church
ecclesiastical laws that have been in existence for centuries
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ecclesiastical
Church doctrine cited The defendants had argued that the doctrine of ecclesiastical abstention should prevent the suit from moving forward.
—
Giles Hudson, CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025
Rose Glass' directorial debut is an ecclesiastical horror that offsets the fine line between devotion and delusion, all while stirring the painful emotions of loneliness and trauma.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Fox taught that the Inner Light emancipates a person from adherence to any creed, ecclesiastical authority or ritual forms.
—Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2025
Her historic appointment—a first in the 1,400 years since Saint Augustine founded the diocese after landing in England—will fuel the long-running debate not only in the Anglican church, but also other Christian churches, about the ecclesiastical role of women.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ecclesiastical
Giles Hudson, CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025
Rose Glass' directorial debut is an ecclesiastical horror that offsets the fine line between devotion and delusion, all while stirring the painful emotions of loneliness and trauma.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Fox taught that the Inner Light emancipates a person from adherence to any creed, ecclesiastical authority or ritual forms.
—Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2025
Her historic appointment—a first in the 1,400 years since Saint Augustine founded the diocese after landing in England—will fuel the long-running debate not only in the Anglican church, but also other Christian churches, about the ecclesiastical role of women.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ecclesiastical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ecclesiastical
Adjective
-
Waugh was based for many years in a grand house in nearby Combe Florey and adapted this local ecclesiastic landmark for fictional purposes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Think of it like an ecclesiastic LinkedIn.—
Jack Murtagh,
Scientific American,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
An unlikely band of prominent business, religious, government and academic leaders have set aside their political differences and signed onto a new declaration of human rights for the AI age.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
4 Mar. 2026
-
In both his religious and civic life, Turner fought for Black equality.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The announcement sets the stage for one of the busiest papal travel schedules in years, since Leo will also be undertaking a grand tour of Italy starting in May that will take him up and down the peninsula in a half-dozen one-day visits.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
As a result, the consecration of bishops without papal consent is considered a grave threat to church unity and a cause of schism, since bishops can ordain new priests.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ecclesiastical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ecclesiastical. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
