nuns

noun

plural of nun
as in monks

Related Words

Relevance

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 nuns One of the nuns was allegedly killed by a demon appearing as a nun, and the other died by suicide to avoid being possessed by the evil force. — Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025 At some point, a pair of politically active nuns started hanging out at the Nash home, eventually leaving their formal nun habits, cast off as part of their activism, at the house. — Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nuns
  1. monks
  2. religious
  3. novices
  4. sisters
  5. Reverend Mother
  6. mother superior
  7. clerics
  8. mendicants
Noun
  • Two monks sustained serious injuries, and one monk lost part of his leg as a result of the crash.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of monks
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
  • By automating the cadence and gear changes, Honda is catering to novices who don't want to think about gear selection or power management on the trail.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The political novices were able to rally the nation behind a simple message against corruption and state capture.
    — Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of novices
Noun
  • The sisters typically spoke by phone at least three times a day.
    — Eric Mack, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The sisters’ choice of Friday night footwear represented one of the brand’s more whimsical designs, Woods by Jordyn well-known for a wide array of handbags and footwear along with size-inclusive outfits.
    — Erin Wisti, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of sisters
Noun
  • What a theft of life and talent, and what a waste of care, quick-wittedness, and capability by Reverend Mother Constance.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2025
  • Wiest will play the Reverend Mother Constance Mary Cabot, who is responsible for keeping her convent running and keeping the sisters safe in episode 7.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of Reverend Mother
Noun
  • Wind your way through halls reminiscent of cloisters to dine with mountainous river views, sip cocktails in the bar that was once the office of the Mother Superior, or relax with a massage at the on-site spa.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026
  • Last year, Watson nabbed the Berlin Silver Bear best supporting performance award for her captivating portrayal of the formidable Mother Superior of the Magdalene Laundries in Tim Mielants’ Small Things Like These.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 Nov. 2025
Definition of mother superior
Noun
  • For the same reasons little dogs appeared so frequently at the feet of dead women (and clerics) in tomb sculpture, plenty of Renaissance portraits feature them as a symbol of fidelity.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Oddly enough, Iran and Afghanistan, both ruled by clerics, are the only countries in the world that still regularly stage public executions.
    — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of clerics
Noun
  • Throughout much of Buddhist history, and particularly in Theravada Buddhist contexts, mindfulness and its associated meditation methods have been the purview of mendicants (monks and nuns), who used mindfulness meditation to achieve trance states (jhana) leading to nirvana.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
  • But those states also have Republican governors, who would have raised holy hell if their constituents had been menaced by these roving mobs of mendicants.
    — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 28 Nov. 2025
Definition of mendicants

Browse Nearby Words

nunnery
nuns
nuptial
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nuns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nuns. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of cockamamie

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

The Words of the Week - Nov. 6

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All