as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church
clerics were sharply divided on the issue of whether the war was morally justified
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Recent Examples of cleric
In northern Bavaria sits Bamberg, a charming place with a beer story that dates to a medieval cleric who ordered townsfolk be given a free brew on the day of his death.
—
David Dickstein, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
In 1994 Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was also a cleric with the rank of ayatollah, issued a fatwa forbidding the practice of self-flagellation.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026
The current spiritual leader is Ayatollah Mahdi Mirbaqiri, a highly influential senior cleric who was once seen as a possible candidate for Supreme Leader.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
Perhaps the most sensitive matter is Iran, a nation of nasty clerics and old-time belligerents that declared war on America and Israel 47 years ago.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleric
David Dickstein, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
In 1994 Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was also a cleric with the rank of ayatollah, issued a fatwa forbidding the practice of self-flagellation.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026
The current spiritual leader is Ayatollah Mahdi Mirbaqiri, a highly influential senior cleric who was once seen as a possible candidate for Supreme Leader.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
Perhaps the most sensitive matter is Iran, a nation of nasty clerics and old-time belligerents that declared war on America and Israel 47 years ago.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleric
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleric
Noun
-
Jerry Brown left seminary before becoming a priest but made his Jesuit education central to his political identity — especially his frugality, environmentalism and preference for rehabilitation over incarceration.—
Joe Mathews,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
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Or the priest electing to stay in the city and open his doors to at-risk youths even as most of his flock had fled to the suburbs.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
She was born into slavery in the North and later won her freedom, becoming an acclaimed speaker, preacher and activist.—
Jocelyn Frye,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 June 2026
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According to the Daily Mail report, the preacher and Key exchanged a series of text messages in the spring of 2026 that his wife eventually read.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleric. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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