POPE Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

pope

noun

Definition of pope

as in archbishop

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 pope Weinberger was three grades ahead of the pope, who was then an altar boy with Weinberger’s brother. — Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026 On July 2, the Vatican decreed the excommunication of the SSPX’s bishops and priests, one day after the group consecrated four new bishops in Switzerland without the pope’s consent. — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026 Long at odds with the Vatican, the order delivered by the pope meant excommunication for the newly consecrated, any SSPX priest and any person who formally adheres to the society. — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026 Leo spent a few weeks at the estate last summer, using the time away from the Vatican to focus on his new role after his fellow cardinals elected him pope on May 8, 2025. — Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pope

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pope

Noun

The mother of the former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was taken; so were an Anglican archbishop and his wife.

— Alexis Okeowo, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Saint Agnes, a historic church founded for German-speaking immigrants in what’s now a diverse, central neighborhood in Minnesota’s capital, offers one traditional Latin Mass per weekend, with the archbishop’s permission.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026

Definition of archbishop

Noun

Man of books and learning Several of the videos show Athanasius of Alexandria, a fourth-century bishop and theologian traditionally considered one of the church fathers.

— Denva Gallant, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
Juan José Gerardi Conedera (born December 27, 1922, Guatemala City, Guatemala—killed April 26, 1998, Guatemala City) was a Guatemalan Roman Catholic bishop and human rights activist.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026

Definition of bishop

Noun

The court found that Shi used his positions, including as the temple abbot, to illegally embezzle more than $19 million alone or in conspiracy with others, between 2003 and 2025, CCTV reported.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
According to a relative of Nathan who provided some of the sources Amit studied, the abbot reportedly also wrote letters to the Vatican and to monasteries in Switzerland pleading for a safe exit for Wolfgang.

— Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026

Definition of abbot

Noun

The group was founded in 1970 in Switzerland by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, a French prelate, but five years later was officially suppressed by the Bishop of Fribourg.

— Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
In roughly 33 hours over the course of two days, the diverse group of international prelates elected Prevost on the fourth ballot.

— Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026

Definition of prelate

Noun

Pernkopf was a Nazi functionary who became dean of the medical faculty in 1938 and rector of the university in 1943.

— Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Kuehl pivoted to academia, eventually becoming an associate dean of students at her alma mater, UCLA, before earning a law degree from Harvard in 1978 at age 34.

— Sophie Clausen, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of dean

Noun

The first is the strikingly Gothic diocesan throne, which sits in the cathedral choir and dates from the Victorian era.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Mar. 2026
The diocesan website includes a statement from Dallas Bishop Edward Burns connecting the need for social distancing with the story of the Good Samaritan.

— David Tarrant, Dallas News, 6 Apr. 2020

Definition of diocesan

Noun

In 2014, Pope Francis abolished the future use of the monsignor title — which denotes a specific honor — for most priests.

— Vivian Wilson, Twin Cities, 8 July 2026
This time around, the monsignor of a small-town church is found dead under mysterious circumstances, and Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is summoned to investigate.

— Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026

Definition of monsignor

Noun

History Johann Ludwig Krapf, a German pastor and Anglican missionary, arrived to proselytize in what is now Kenya in 1844.

— Stephanie TriplettAll, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
Hersey — reporting on a clerk, a tailor’s widow, two doctors, a priest, and a pastor — gave US readers their first sense of what the new superweapon did to human bodies.

— Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of pastor

Browse Nearby Words

pop

pope

popes

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pope.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pope. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of pope

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on pope

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gnomic

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

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

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes