Thesaurus results for ENCYCLICALS

encyclicals

noun

plural of encyclical

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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for encyclicals

Noun

The letters cite stories on construction details related to the East Wing bunker, funding for the White House ballroom, munitions stockpiles impacted by the Iran war and sanctions against Russia.

— Josh Feldman, NBC news, 23 Sep. 2026
For cases such as the one described in this recent post in which cats are being fed on private property within an association community, violation notices as well as cease and desist letters are the most common initial responses.

— Michael L. Hyman, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of letters

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

Definition of epistles

Noun

The company said one researcher exchanged thousands of messages with its AI systems about improving the mammalian transmission of a highly lethal bird flu virus.

— Jared Perlo, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2026
With fewer in-person organizers, some groups are also focusing on social media and partnering with liberal content creators to boost their messages.

— Matt Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of messages

Noun

In between the swaggering pronouncements, Jaggseer waxes poetic about dusty roads and Chevy trucks and reflects on humble beginnings and hard work.

— Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Despite many pronouncements from Washington that the strait is open, only a handful of ships are making the passage each day and Iran has regularly attacked vessels.

— David Rising, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of pronouncements

Noun

The book-gifting program, part of the nonprofit Dollywood Foundation, mails free, high-quality books to children across the country and around the world once a month from birth to age 5.

— Kristy High, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Each month, the book gifting program mails free books to children from birth to age 5, regardless of their family’s income.

— Devarrick Turner, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of mails

Noun

Internal memos from a trade organization potentially impacted by California’s single use plastic law reveals a coordinated push to dismantle the landmark legislation by stoking anxiety over affordability and living costs.

— Susanne Rust Follow, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
The village has one of the strictest memos of understanding with the sheriff’s department regarding the use of Flock cameras, Schaller said.

— Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of memos

Noun

In the course of three weeks, Israeli soldiers destroyed much of the area, razing schools and mosques and commandeering buildings for use as military posts.

— Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
Only 28 of the 105 political parties and groupings approved by the Provisional Electoral Council to contest elections for president, Parliament and local posts, had reached the threshold of registering 30,000 members.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of posts

Noun

Four student members submitted declarations but are not individual plaintiffs.

— Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
The burial ground was eventually forgotten until at least 2006, when the City of New York placed restrictive declarations on the site to protect those buried there.

— Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of declarations

Browse Nearby Words

encyclical

encyclicals

encyclopedia

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Encyclicals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encyclicals. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of encyclicals

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

tactile

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes