as in ecclesiastical
of or relating to a church
a council to make final determinations on ecclesiastic matters
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
as the leading ecclesiastic for his church in the state, the bishop must be beyond reproach in everything he does
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ecclesiastic
Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2025
Forget Fleabag, Conclave, Nobody Wants This, or Ramy, there’s a new ecclesiastic bombshell on the block.
—Riann Phillip, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025
But Thondup is also sharply critical of the Tibetan political and ecclesiastic elite for their gross mismanagement of their relations with China.
—Anne F. Thurston, Foreign Affairs, 23 Feb. 2016
As Sheldon Wolin, author of Politics and Vision, and many others have pointed out, the Middle Ages and Renaissance saw a powerful flow of ideas from ecclesiastic to secular political philosophy.
—Jonathan Schlefer, Foreign Affairs, 14 Mar. 2015
America has no aristocracy or ecclesiastic master class.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 12 Feb. 2022
The Vatican defended the extension by saying the agreement was purely ecclesiastic and pastoral in nature, and not political.
—Nicole Winfield, Star Tribune, 22 Oct. 2020
The motif appeared in ecclesiastic architecture from the 13th to the 15th centuries.
—Jasper Bastian, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Sep. 2020
The church is an example of early ecclesiastic architecture, is the second oldest synagogue remaining in Cincinnati and is the oldest still church still used for religious purposes.
—Max Londberg, Cincinnati.com, 5 Aug. 2019
Victor Pérez-Díaz, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2013
Of all the precious goods accumulated by the rulers and ecclesiastics of late medieval Ethiopia, the most charged of all were books.
—Peter Brown, The New York Review of Books, 24 Sep. 2020
This shop for ecclesiastics has an exquisite selection of high-quality pieces.
—Zoe Ruffner, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2019
Rather, Ryrie, a prize-winning historian as well as an ecclesiastic, has broadened his scope to take in nearly 750 years of doubt and disbelief in the professedly Christian West.
—Graham Hillard, National Review, 5 Dec. 2019
The old cloister, as the walled domain of the Chapter of Canons was called, housed unusual and not invariably pious persons, as well as the worldly ecclesiastics themselves.
—Bruce Dale, National Geographic, 17 Apr. 2019
This was the Fairy Tree L’Arbre des Dames or Le Beau Mai tree, whereupon extra-ecclesiastic celebrations were staged.
—C.d. Wright, Harper's magazine, 10 Jan. 2019
There are nearly 70 community leaders — from entrepreneurs to ecclesiastics (and a rabbi thrown in for good measure) — who have joined to address the problems that have held Louisville back for decades.
—Joseph Gerth, The Courier-Journal, 2 Feb. 2018
Adjective
Forbidden passion fueled the plot of The Thorn Birds in which the late Richard Chamberlain, played the priest Ralph de Bricassart, a heartthrob in ecclesiastic wear.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2025
Forget Fleabag, Conclave, Nobody Wants This, or Ramy, there’s a new ecclesiastic bombshell on the block.
—Riann Phillip, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025
But Thondup is also sharply critical of the Tibetan political and ecclesiastic elite for their gross mismanagement of their relations with China.
—Anne F. Thurston, Foreign Affairs, 23 Feb. 2016
As Sheldon Wolin, author of Politics and Vision, and many others have pointed out, the Middle Ages and Renaissance saw a powerful flow of ideas from ecclesiastic to secular political philosophy.
—Jonathan Schlefer, Foreign Affairs, 14 Mar. 2015
America has no aristocracy or ecclesiastic master class.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 12 Feb. 2022
The Vatican defended the extension by saying the agreement was purely ecclesiastic and pastoral in nature, and not political.
—Nicole Winfield, Star Tribune, 22 Oct. 2020
The motif appeared in ecclesiastic architecture from the 13th to the 15th centuries.
—Jasper Bastian, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Sep. 2020
The church is an example of early ecclesiastic architecture, is the second oldest synagogue remaining in Cincinnati and is the oldest still church still used for religious purposes.
—Max Londberg, Cincinnati.com, 5 Aug. 2019
Noun
The end result was a new brand of ecclesiastics and lay Catholics who felt comfortable detaching themselves from Franco’s regime, or even fighting it head-on in a variety of forums, including student movements, intellectual circles, unions, political parties, and the media.
—Victor Pérez-Díaz, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2013
Of all the precious goods accumulated by the rulers and ecclesiastics of late medieval Ethiopia, the most charged of all were books.
—Peter Brown, The New York Review of Books, 24 Sep. 2020
This shop for ecclesiastics has an exquisite selection of high-quality pieces.
—Zoe Ruffner, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2019
Rather, Ryrie, a prize-winning historian as well as an ecclesiastic, has broadened his scope to take in nearly 750 years of doubt and disbelief in the professedly Christian West.
—Graham Hillard, National Review, 5 Dec. 2019
The old cloister, as the walled domain of the Chapter of Canons was called, housed unusual and not invariably pious persons, as well as the worldly ecclesiastics themselves.
—Bruce Dale, National Geographic, 17 Apr. 2019
This was the Fairy Tree L’Arbre des Dames or Le Beau Mai tree, whereupon extra-ecclesiastic celebrations were staged.
—C.d. Wright, Harper's magazine, 10 Jan. 2019
There are nearly 70 community leaders — from entrepreneurs to ecclesiastics (and a rabbi thrown in for good measure) — who have joined to address the problems that have held Louisville back for decades.
—Joseph Gerth, The Courier-Journal, 2 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ecclesiastic
Adjective
-
Second, the dating of the Paschal Full Moon is not based on astronomical computations but rather is taken from ecclesiastical tables.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Pope Francis has named an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore the next bishop, or top official, of the Diocese of Providence, a 153-year-old ecclesiastical territory of the Roman Catholic Church.—
Jonathan M. Pitts,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Again, Two Spears deduces the facts — that the priest must have killed the girl’s father before the girl killed the priest in self-defense.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2025
-
After taking a couple episodes to establish its premise, there’s a procedural rhythm to Hub’s hunting expeditions, tracking targets from a possessed priest to a Satanic cheerleader.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Khan-Ghany has encouraged her Muslim students to be proud of their religious and cultural upbringings.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2025
-
With Ramadan now a season of cultural significance beyond religious observance, its musical phenomenon continues to evolve, marking a unique space where nostalgia, innovation and commercial success intersect.—
Hala Mustafa,
Billboard,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The preacher and producer has been dating his soon-to-be wife for a year.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Castillo is ecstatic to be marrying the preacher and was taken aback by the proposal.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Kirchner had, a year earlier, backed sanctions for clergymen who publicly opposed the government’s human rights policies, including his decision to annul laws pardoning dictatorship-era atrocities.—
Federico Perelmuter,
The Dial,
13 Mar. 2025
-
The emails, sent from Saints accounts, don’t specify which clergymen were removed from the list or why.—
Brett Martel,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
On a recent day, village elders, the province's Roman Catholic bishop and political figures filled the benches of a reception hall, waiting to meet with the man who will likely chart the future of Syrian Druze.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Pope Francis has named an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore the next bishop, or top official, of the Diocese of Providence, a 153-year-old ecclesiastical territory of the Roman Catholic Church.—
Jonathan M. Pitts,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ecclesiastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ecclesiastic. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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