as in priests
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church
as the leading ecclesiastic for his church in the state, the bishop must be beyond reproach in everything he does
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ecclesiastics
Noun
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For a macabre detour from all the warm Mediterranean charm, go down to the underground tomb of Chiesa di San Nicolò, where mummified priests line the crypt walls.—
Anne Olivia Bauso,
Travel + Leisure,
21 May 2026 -
Galizia sees the photographs depicting priests as part of an artistic tradition, noting that no one watching a TV drama involving priests believes they are actually played by clergy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
Noun
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In another era, Pratt would have been a welcome edition to the roster of bombastic Southern California preachers a la Aimee Semple McPherson, Chuck Smith and Gene Scott, as well as radio titans such as George Putnam and John Kobylt.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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During Muharram’s mourning period, Shiʿis gather in assemblies to hear preachers offer sermons, relate the life of Ḥusayn, and recount the events of the Battle of Karbala.—
Charles Preston,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 May 2026
Noun
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The lawsuit echoes criticism that most commissioners are conservative Christian clerics and commentators; one is an Orthodox Jewish rabbi.—
Peter Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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The group’s spiritual leader, Ayatollah Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, who died in 2021, was one of the country’s most radical clerics.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ecclesiastics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ecclesiastics. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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