as in ministerial
of, relating to, or characteristic of the clergy
clerical duties such as providing spiritual counseling and leading Bible study classes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church
some of the state's most prominent clericals have spoken out against the measure
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clerical
ABC News, 8 June 2026
After the jury was dismissed on Monday, Left’s lawyer asked for a mistrial, citing an unusual clerical error that resulted in the jury filling out an outdated version of the verdict form.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 2 June 2026
Some clerical tasks certainly disappeared or changed.
—Christopher Marquis, Time, 30 May 2026
Its clerical rulers, who put down a mass uprising at the start of the year, have faced no sign of organized opposition since the war began.
—Reuters, NBC news, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clerical
Adjective
Amid public outrage over the abuse crisis, Spain launched a reparations system earlier this year for clerical abuse cases too old to be prosecuted that requires the participation of the Catholic Church and the Spanish government.
—ABC News, 8 June 2026
After the jury was dismissed on Monday, Left’s lawyer asked for a mistrial, citing an unusual clerical error that resulted in the jury filling out an outdated version of the verdict form.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 2 June 2026
Some clerical tasks certainly disappeared or changed.
—Christopher Marquis, Time, 30 May 2026
Its clerical rulers, who put down a mass uprising at the start of the year, have faced no sign of organized opposition since the war began.
—Reuters, NBC news, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for clerical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clerical
Adjective
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And finally, the report calls on stakeholders to collaborate across institutions, sectors and borders to establish cross-ministerial task forces, strengthening mutual recognition and interoperability of sustainability requirements across markets.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Footwear News,
15 June 2026
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Dan’s two nominations for the prime ministerial role this month come after a no-confidence vote toppled Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan in May.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 June 2026
Noun
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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
Adjective
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Jane Ragsdale’s best friend Christine Chenoweth, a pastoral counselor and former Presbyterian minister, says the South Fork of the Guadalupe is now lousy and wrecked and haunted.—
Karen Valby,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
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The enchanting woodsy and pastoral backgrounds when the action moves from the residential suburbs to the rural outskirts add to that poignancy, as do the dulcet tones of Randy Newman’s score.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Noun
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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
Noun
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Funeral ceremonies are expected to begin in Tehran and move to Qom, a stronghold of many senior Shiite clerics, then to Mashhad, Khamenei's birthplace.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 June 2026
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The procession will move to Qom, a stronghold of many senior Shiite clerics, and then to Mashhad, Khamenei’s birthplace.—
Munir Ahmed,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clerical. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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