monastery

noun

ˈmä-nə-ˌster-ē How to pronounce monastery (audio)
Definition of monasterynext
as in cloister
a residence for men under religious vows Gregory Mendel worked out his concepts of genetics by doing breeding experiments using pea plants in the monastery's garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 monastery The structures include monasteries and fortresses that showcase the reign of the Lombards, who played a major role in the development of medieval European Christianity. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2026 At its height, the complex included dozens of temples, palaces and monasteries. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026 As the Nazi grip on the nation tightened, the family fled to Shanghai, where young Peter was taken with the vivid hues of a nearby Buddhist monastery and gained an appetite for American comics. — News Desk, Artforum, 17 Sep. 2026 In Beachwood Canyon, the Monastery of the Angels was built as a private mansion and rebuilt by the Catholic Church in 1948 as a monastery. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for monastery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monastery
  1. cloister
  2. abbey
Noun
  • The Suite Del Priore – named for its setting in the old priory – has original frescoes and cloister views; the Suite Dell’Eremita has its own lemon grove.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The town served as a Genoese naval outpost during the medieval rivalry with Pisa, and the hotel’s arched colonnades of the original cloister still stand atop rooms that face Palmaria Island or the Gulf itself.
    — Jason Phillips, USA Today, 22 July 2026
Definition of cloister
Noun
  • The medieval abbey of Normandy’s Mont Saint-Michel, a tidal island only accessible at certain times each day, stretched from the lapping waves as though reaching for Heaven.
    — Ellen O’Connell Whittet, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Marie painstakingly builds the abbey into a regional power center to which notables must pay their respects.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of abbey

Browse Nearby Words

monasteries
monastery
monastic
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Cite this Entry

“Monastery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monastery. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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