as in pure
free from any trace of the coarse or indecent
a schoolteacher who dresses with almost vestal modesty while on the job
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Recent Examples of vestal
These vestal get-ups are, in fact, the latest in a long line of subversive pop culture interpretations of the lives (and loves) of nuns.
—
Leah Dolan, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
There were papal cloaks styled as trench coats, and vestal robes turned into coveralls, but with a solemn finish that showed respect for both the clothes and the creative congregation that wants to wear them.
—Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Sep. 2022
Souza sets out to reacquaint us with that vanished world, where norms obtained and men were men and words had meaning—where the sun rose on the shrines of our ancestors and six virgins ceaselessly guarded the vestal flame.
—Katy Waldman, Slate Magazine, 3 Aug. 2017
Leah Dolan, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
There were papal cloaks styled as trench coats, and vestal robes turned into coveralls, but with a solemn finish that showed respect for both the clothes and the creative congregation that wants to wear them.
—Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Sep. 2022
Souza sets out to reacquaint us with that vanished world, where norms obtained and men were men and words had meaning—where the sun rose on the shrines of our ancestors and six virgins ceaselessly guarded the vestal flame.
—Katy Waldman, Slate Magazine, 3 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vestal
Adjective
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Obviously, this is pure speculation at this point in time.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Rybakina is one of the purest ballstrikers on the tour, whose all-or-nothing game can veer from erratic to unplayable in the space of a few games.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Chihiro and Hiruhiko were engaging in the sort of passionate but chaste dude-bro melodrama that takes place only in shōnen manga.—
Matt Alt,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
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To win the grand prize, 10 contestants must stay as chaste as possible in a house together for four weeks.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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Many reviewers credited the beach’s immaculate facilities and amenities— including bathrooms, charcoal grills, tables, and picnic pavilions—for making their visits true trips to paradise.—
Lydia Price,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Oct. 2025
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But with Mayfield playing immaculate hero ball, those issues are less important than the fact that Tampa’s young (and now injured) secondary is exactly the type of game the Lions prefer to hunt.—
J.J. Bailey,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Since 2019, California has partnered with jurisdictions in 28 countries—touching more than a quarter of the world’s population, with a combined GDP in the tens of trillions of dollars—to cut greenhouse gases, enhance climate resilience and develop clean energy.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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How to Get Around Metro Rio’s metro is fast, clean, and air-conditioned, with stops in Ipanema and Copacabana.—
Aaron Randolph,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vestal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vestal. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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