as in letters
an official writing from the Pope to the Roman Catholic bishops
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Recent Examples of encyclicals
Ed Simon on the history of papal encyclicals.
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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.
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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.
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Harry Kraemer,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Here's a comparison of two encyclicals — 135 years apart — addressing technological upheaval.
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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.
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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
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The department has also opened Title IX investigations in North Carolina and Michigan and issued warning letters to school districts in Colorado and Kansas.
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According to testimony, police received several letters believed to be written by Abdulkareem, who has been jailed since his arrest.
Noun
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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.
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While hunkered down in the trenches of World War I, a Greek scholar translated some of Paul’s epistles.
Noun
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Representatives of the Mexican consulate in New York did not return messages seeking comment.
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Slack messages appear during dinner.
Noun
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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.
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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.
Noun
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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.
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Tyler has been embedded in the treasurer’s office, which calculates and mails out property tax bills, for years.
Noun
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In fact, two of the loudest champions of the return-to-office movement, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase, are temporarily allowing employees to request remote work on match days during the 2026 tournament, according to internal memos seen by the Financial Times.
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Outside of the recording booth, Hale relishes the opportunity to send voice memos from his alter ego.
Noun
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Avila Chevalier survived a deluge of attacks for previous social media posts that called for abolishing the police and prisons.
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In third place with two million posts, Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way follows the country’s rugged western coastline, extending over 1,500 miles from the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal to the town of Kinsale, County Cork.
Noun
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Brinkema, who had initially blocked the plan three weeks ago, indicated that such declarations could lead to dismissal of the lawsuit challenging the fund.
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Peters had asked about partisanship in granting major disaster declarations.
Cite this Entry
“Encyclicals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encyclicals. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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