nun

noun

Definition of nunnext
as in abbess

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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 nun For that, a 12th-century Roman Catholic nun from Germany has the answer. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026 Ugboaja was released later the same day after intervention from members of Texas’ congressional delegation and public outcry over the detention of a nun wearing her habit on her way to worship. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 24 July 2026 The nun study, launched in 1990 with 678 members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, is back in focus after a 2025 scientific review reexamined what the project taught researchers about aging and dementia. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026 The nun study reshaped how scientists think about Alzheimer’s by showing that brain pathology and cognitive symptoms don’t always line up. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for nun
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nun
  1. abbess
  2. monk
  3. prioress
  4. priestess
  5. religious
  6. friar
  7. novice
  8. sister
Noun
  • Hildegard was a Catholic abbess of the Benedictine Order.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Now, thanks to a greater emphasis on women’s education in recent years, Tibetan Buddhist nuns are increasingly becoming teachers and abbesses.
    — Darcie Price-Wallace, The Conversation, 26 Sep. 2025
Definition of abbess
Noun
  • Reverend Adachi appeared to give us an introduction, in Japanese and English, to a day in the life of a training monk.
    — Pico Iyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The monk-to-entrepreneur pipeline has shocked some of his fans and followers who say making $21 million a year is antithetical to a monk lifestyle.
    — Alexandra York, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of monk
Noun
  • The slow-burn thriller is partially based on a 17th century ballad in which the heroic outlaw’s cousin, a malevolent prioress, bleeds the older, ailing Robin to death under the guise of the ancient medical treatment known as bloodletting.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 22 June 2026
  • After Robin is gravely injured, he is taken in by the sage prioress Brigid (Jodie Comer), who nurses him back to health at an island convent.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Definition of prioress
Noun
  • Additionally, costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones, who is also a Mauritian priestess, brought her expert-level knowledge of color and the spiritual culture to the costumes and set.
    — Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Women and girls in all corners of this world are accustomed to, and even expect, danger, including the priestess of Athena (Zendaya) whom Odysseus’ men behead during their sack of Troy.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026
Definition of priestess
Noun
  • As a young religious, Bishop-elect Lombardo did missionary work in Bolivia and Honduras.
    — Laura Rodríguez Presa, chicagotribune.com, 11 Sep. 2020
Definition of religious
Noun
  • The film, which is playing Out of Competition on the Lido, charts the brutality of Spanish friar Padre Enciso over the population in the 17th century.
    — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Another work, a small double-sided panel portraying the Virgin Mary and Child with a Franciscan friar in adoration on one side and the dead Christ in Pietà on the other, was also stolen.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of friar
Noun
  • Professional and novice astronomers alike are getting excited about the partial lunar eclipse.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But for a novice, relying on AI before mastering the fundamentals creates a technical debt that leads to a lack of depth.
    — Jason Corso, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of novice
Noun
  • Parton costars with an up-and-coming Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, and the late Olympia Dukakis as one of a group of tight-knit, resilient women in the story based on Harling’s own sister.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Jake was at Los Angeles’ Union Station for a celebration of life event for a friend when his sister called.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sister

Browse Nearby Words

numskulls
nun
nuncio
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Cite this Entry

“Nun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nun. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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