first estate

Definition of first estatenext
as in clergy
the group ordained to perform clerical functions in the Christian church a nation in which the first estate had long held a privileged position

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for first estate
Noun
  • Iran’s ruling clergy have weathered huge protests many times before.
    Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
  • Replaced by sycophants and suffocated by the clergy’s interference in daily life, this class has long since lost faith in the system.
    Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The church released a statement about the incident on Wednesday night.
    Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
  • An hour later, for its first concert since the fires, parishioners sat in awe as Grammy Award winning violinist Anne Akiko Meyers weaved her bow across her violin, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach echoing through the church.
    Camelia Heins, Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“First estate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/first%20estate. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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