as in letters
an official writing from the Pope to the Roman Catholic bishops
Related Words
Relevance
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 encyclicals
Ed Simon on the history of papal encyclicals.
—
Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Traditionally written as letters to Catholic bishops and the wider church, encyclicals offer authoritative guidance on major moral, social, or political questions and often shape Catholic thought for generations, even influencing debates that reach far beyond the Vatican.
—Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 26 May 2026
Rather, the two encyclicals establish a foundation of work as a human right and a societal good that applies even more in the age of AI.
—Harry Kraemer, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Here's a comparison of two encyclicals — 135 years apart — addressing technological upheaval.
—Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post, 25 May 2026
Nearly 300 papal encyclicals have been produced since the first was authored in 1740 by Pope Benedict XIV.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 14 May 2026
This reframing is not at odds with traditional Catholic theological affirmations, as anyone who reads John Paul II’s encyclicals can see.
—R. R. Reno, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2018
Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Traditionally written as letters to Catholic bishops and the wider church, encyclicals offer authoritative guidance on major moral, social, or political questions and often shape Catholic thought for generations, even influencing debates that reach far beyond the Vatican.
—Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 26 May 2026
Rather, the two encyclicals establish a foundation of work as a human right and a societal good that applies even more in the age of AI.
—Harry Kraemer, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Here's a comparison of two encyclicals — 135 years apart — addressing technological upheaval.
—Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post, 25 May 2026
Nearly 300 papal encyclicals have been produced since the first was authored in 1740 by Pope Benedict XIV.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 14 May 2026
This reframing is not at odds with traditional Catholic theological affirmations, as anyone who reads John Paul II’s encyclicals can see.
—R. R. Reno, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encyclicals
Noun
-
Nevada County Supervisor Sue Hoek says AT&T's letters are wrong.—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
But the letters never stopped arriving.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
The main theme of the letters over time emphasizes long-term value creation, but the epistles have drawn criticism from the political left and right.—
byDebbie Carlson,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Mar. 2026
-
While hunkered down in the trenches of World War I, a Greek scholar translated some of Paul’s epistles.—
Robin Hoagland,
Christian Science Monitor,
14 May 2025
Noun
-
The Yankees invited him to throw out a first pitch; the Orlando Magic gave him courtside seats and fans got wind of the effort and started flooding his social media with messages and pleas.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
The Justice Department declined to comment on Friday, and a spokesperson for the FBI in Cleveland did not respond to messages seeking comment.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Maury Brown Maury Brown Leading up to recent negotiations, the public pronouncements of how much is going to the players have fallen along party lines.—
Maury Brown,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
That same month, Talarico’s campaign spokesman, JT Ennis, issued an official response to the vegan pronouncements on his boss' behalf, sharing a photo of Talarico taking a large bite of a massive turkey leg while wearing a button-down with a Texas flag design.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Prosecutors said Graves' body was partially wrapped in black garbage bags secured with duct tape, then rolled up in a rug alongside blankets, bags, pieces of mails, various items of clothing and trash.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Tyler has been embedded in the treasurer’s office, which calculates and mails out property tax bills, for years.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Most of the guitars are just voice memos of older guitars.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
15 June 2026
-
In particular, the inspector general criticized the FBI for its reliance on a set of opposition research memos prepared by ex-British intelligence officer Christopher Steele.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Every single one of his posts is accompanied by a picture.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
-
Plans Standard, Premium and Pro plans, with higher tiers offering resume database, sponsored job posts and TrafficBoost for urgent or hard-to-fill roles.—
Audrey Payne,
CNBC,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Authorities were surveying the damage Friday and preparing to issue emergency declarations needed to get recovery funding.—
DAVE COLLINS,
Arkansas Online,
13 June 2026
-
Verification is increasingly embedded at the raw material stage, often across multiple supplier regions, moving beyond reliance on declarations alone.—
Alyn Franklin,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encyclicals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encyclicals. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
