seminary

noun

ˈse-mə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce seminary (audio)
Definition of seminarynext
1
as in school
a place or establishment for teaching and learning a seminary exclusively for women

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in center
a place or environment that favors the development of something some claimed that orphanages were seminaries of sin and petty crime, turning out juvenile delinquents by the score

Synonyms & Similar 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 seminary The suspect, Eli Lavon, 21, was an ultra-Orthodox student at a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem. — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 3 July 2026 Stracke, who's also a mom to son James, 19, and daughter Porter, 24, revealed that her eldest son intends to enter a seminary and join the priesthood. — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026 The former seminary's crypt now houses the Wine Grotto. — Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2026 The Halki seminary, founded in 1844 and shut by the Turkish state in 1971, played a central role in ⁠the Eastern Orthodox Church as ​the Ecumenical ⁠Patriarchate’s main theological school. — Reuters, NBC news, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for seminary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seminary
  1. school
  2. center
  3. nursery
  4. nest
  5. capital
  6. mecca
Noun
  • The shooting came less than 10 days after a high-profile incident in Thailand, where a student went on a shooting rampage at a school on the outskirts of the capital, Bangkok.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The school, which has a 100% completion rate, occupies a former French military barracks on an island with a painful past.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of school
Noun
  • Balancing functionality with the brand’s house codes, the bag features two spacious compartments and a zippered one in the center.
    — Talia Abbas, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Sunday marked the grand opening of the center's Community Baby Closet, which offers resources such as diapers, wipes, newborn clothing, baby gear and postpartum supplies.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of center
Noun
  • So, a room originally intended to be an office became a nursery—but the layout and bright tangerine color palette remained the same.
    — Valentina Lonati, Architectural Digest, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Local eco-systems have been respected; a plant nursery on site ensures the development and growth of local species and the preservation of the existing flora and fauna.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of nursery
Noun
  • Savory pastries include bacon-egg croissants, spanakopita turnovers and vols-au-vent, which are like birds’ nests of puff pastry stuffed with hearty fillings.
    — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • An olive ridley sea turtle hatchling (Lepidochelys olivacea) is being escorted to the sea by locals who protected her nest.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of nest
Noun
  • Iran’s economy was in a poor state before the war too, with dire economic conditions a key driving factor behind the anti-regime demonstrations which kicked off in the Iranian capital Tehran in 2025.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • As the world has become less secure, Lagarde said on Wednesday, capital flows into Europe have been put at risk.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of capital
Noun
  • The popular theatre was a cultural mecca that drew thousands to its operas, ballets and other public events, and hosted legendary greats including Maria Callas and Franco Zeffirelli.
    — Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • The long-standing problem is that Skid Row is both a social service center and a mecca of drugs and other vices, with traps on every block.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of mecca

Browse Nearby Words

seminars
seminary
seminatural
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Seminary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seminary. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on seminary

Nglish: Translation of seminary for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about seminary

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of prowess

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
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
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All