mendicant 1 of 2

noun

ˈmen-di-kənt How to pronounce mendicant (audio)
Definition of mendicantnext
as in beggar
a person who lives by public begging those wretched mendicants on the streets of Calcutta

Synonyms & Similar Words

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mendicant

2 of 2

adjective

as in monastic

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Dissimilar Words

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 mendicant
Noun
His eyes alternated between the mendicant and Bob. — Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025 Guido eventually became a Dominican friar, dedicating himself to making art within the mendicant order; after his death, in 1455, he became known as Fra Angelico, or the Angelic Friar. — Louise Bokkenheuser, Air Mail, 4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
One was that literary journalism anthology the mendicant had flipped through. — Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025 The first mendicant orders, like the Franciscans and Dominicans, received papal approval in the early 13th century. — Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for mendicant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mendicant
  1. beggar
  2. monastic
  3. conventual
  4. religious
  5. divine
  6. sacramental
Noun
  • As Telemachus reminds us, the Greeks honor Zeus’ law because even a humble beggar could be a god in disguise.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
  • Gobert was chief among the beggars imploring his teammates for a shred of consistency on that end of the floor.
    — Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of beggar
Adjective
  • Practice frequently occurs within a monastic or lay community.
    — Ronald S. Green, The Conversation, 16 July 2026
  • Jason was hissing fiercely; Gordon, who projects a monastic calm, was trying to reason with the mother while batting her back each time the flap swung open.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
Definition of monastic
Adjective
  • Martin entered the Conventual Franciscan Friars Novitiate in Ellicott City at age 17 after graduating from Curley.
    — Jonathan M. Pitts, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2024
  • But degraded conventual forces could drive Putin to other means of exerting force.
    — Matt Seyler, ABC News, 10 May 2022
Definition of conventual
Adjective
  • Patron saints of emergency responders, these religious figures were supposed to be unveiled at the police and fire headquarters.
    — Tara Sonenshine, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2026
  • There are no longer religious figures like Billy Graham who serve as the unofficial spokespeople for American Christianity.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 11 July 2026
Definition of religious
Adjective
  • Originating from oral traditions, *The Odyssey* offers timeless guidance, paralleling Old Testament narratives with themes of arduous journeys, divine intervention, and moral choices.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • As a divine presence, Athena represents a concept central to the film.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 July 2026
Definition of divine
Adjective
  • More than a century ago, French Catholic missionaries introduced winemaking to northern Yunnan, producing vines for sacramental wine and leaving behind a legacy that blends European techniques with local Tibetan culture.
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
  • The sacramental palms can be kept at home and returned to church or nature, but should not to be thrown away, the Archdiocese noted.
    — Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Definition of sacramental

Browse Nearby Words

menders
mendicant
mendicants
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Cite this Entry

“Mendicant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mendicant. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mendicant

Nglish: Translation of mendicant for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mendicant

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