as in dogmatical
given to or marked by the forceful expression of strongly held opinions
a theater critic known for his pontifical pronouncements on what is or is not worth seeing
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Recent Examples of pontifical
Gregory and Benedict are also popular pontifical names with 16 and 15 uses, respectively,while Innocent and Leo come close behind with 13 uses each.
—
Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
Francis had established the Holy See’s first pontifical commission for the protection of minors early on in his reign.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2025
Turkson resigned from that role in 2021 and was appointed to head two pontifical academies on sciences and social sciences.
—Philip Pullella, Crispian Balmer, Alvise Armellini, Joshua McElwee and Chris Scicluna, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
The prose is confiding and, in places, pontifical.
—Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2020
That revelation, coupled with other recent pontifical critiques, have quickly dissolved the notion that the Dec. 31 death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a symbolic leader of the church’s conservative wing, might lessen the opposition to Francis.
—Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2023
Because of its original purpose, however, the building also has its peculiarities: the pontifical horses lived in grand style on two levels of soaring stalls, connected by a monumental, gently sloping ramp of travertine bricks.
—Ingrid D. Rowland, The New York Review of Books, 20 Aug. 2020
The prevailing view of Wordsworth—pontifical, orthodox, austere—was entrenched by the Victorians, who praised him for the very qualities the Younger Romantics had mocked.
—Matthew Bevis, Harper's Magazine, 23 June 2020
Lifting the rule of pontifical secrecy does not clarify church official’s obligations to comply with such requests.
—Washington Post, 13 Jan. 2020
Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
Francis had established the Holy See’s first pontifical commission for the protection of minors early on in his reign.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2025
Turkson resigned from that role in 2021 and was appointed to head two pontifical academies on sciences and social sciences.
—Philip Pullella, Crispian Balmer, Alvise Armellini, Joshua McElwee and Chris Scicluna, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
The prose is confiding and, in places, pontifical.
—Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2020
That revelation, coupled with other recent pontifical critiques, have quickly dissolved the notion that the Dec. 31 death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a symbolic leader of the church’s conservative wing, might lessen the opposition to Francis.
—Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2023
Because of its original purpose, however, the building also has its peculiarities: the pontifical horses lived in grand style on two levels of soaring stalls, connected by a monumental, gently sloping ramp of travertine bricks.
—Ingrid D. Rowland, The New York Review of Books, 20 Aug. 2020
The prevailing view of Wordsworth—pontifical, orthodox, austere—was entrenched by the Victorians, who praised him for the very qualities the Younger Romantics had mocked.
—Matthew Bevis, Harper's Magazine, 23 June 2020
Lifting the rule of pontifical secrecy does not clarify church official’s obligations to comply with such requests.
—Washington Post, 13 Jan. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pontifical
Adjective
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The next Pope could extend Francis’ progressive legacy or return the church to the more dogmatic tradition embraced by his predecessors.—
Aryn Baker,
Time,
26 Apr. 2025
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Many liberals and progressives were happy enough to get rid of the Communists, who had always been secretive, dogmatic, and, in general, hard to deal with.—
Beverly Gage,
The New Yorker,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Outside of Washington, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s followers appear to be scrambling the country's stubborn red-blue divide USA TODAY Texas is looking at bills to bring back exercise.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
4 May 2025
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Those stubborn dark spots that once felt like permanent guests on my face are finally starting to fade, and my complexion looks brighter and more even-toned.—
Essence,
Essence,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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Fan reactions in the comments were as opinionated as they were divided.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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Media Bias/Fact Check also says that the blending of news with opinionated commentary on Fox News may blur the lines between factual reporting and partisan viewpoints.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Yet even as Bix seems to be an avatar for all the suffering and trauma the Star Wars galaxy has to offer, Arjona is adamant that her character is not a victim.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
2 May 2025
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Her sister is adamant that, for Jane, this was the only way.—
Kim Campbell,
Christian Science Monitor,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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Cardinal Robert Sarah – championed by conservatives as reflecting the doctrinaire and liturgically minded papacies of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI – is among those being considered to replace Pope Francis.—
Danielle Wallace,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn Schoenborn, 80, the archbishop of Vienna, was a student of Benedict’s, and thus on paper seems to have the doctrinaire academic chops to appeal to conservatives.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pontifical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pontifical. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
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