as in ecclesiastical
of or relating to a church
a council to make final determinations on ecclesiastic matters
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ecclesiastic
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
Wuerl’s denial corresponds with the public record, which provides ample evidence that McCarrick lived a life completely devoid of ecclesiastic restriction after the sanctions were said to have been imposed in 2009 or 2010.
—Nicole Winfield, The Seattle Times, 28 Aug. 2018
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
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
Wuerl’s denial corresponds with the public record, which provides ample evidence that McCarrick lived a life completely devoid of ecclesiastic restriction after the sanctions were said to have been imposed in 2009 or 2010.
—Nicole Winfield, The Seattle Times, 28 Aug. 2018
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
-
In the early 1500s, an unknown wealthy patron is said to have commissioned Leonardo da Vinci to produce the Salvator Mundi, a striking ecclesiastical masterpiece in which Jesus is shown blessing humanity with his right hand while holding an orb representing the Earth in his left.—
Brian Klaas,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2025
-
She has been recognized multiple times for her age, including: Jan. 2, 2022 – Oldest Brazilian ecclesiastical person ever.—
Saleen Martin,
USA TODAY,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Bruce French, the dependable character actor who did lots of work for the theater and portrayed Father Lonigan, the blind priest on the soap opera Passions who somehow could sense that evil was imminent, has died.—
Mike Barnes,
The Hollywood Reporter,
9 Feb. 2025
-
In a video message posted in December updating the Catholic Diocese of Joliet’s restructuring plan, Bishop Ron Hicks cited declining Mass attendance, smaller Sunday collections and a shortage of active parish priests in forcing tough decisions.—
Paul Eisenberg,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
In what President Donald Trump says is a move to protect the rule of law and free speech advocates see as an attack on it, the White House is promising tougher punishments for vandalizing public monuments, statues and religious displays.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA TODAY,
7 Feb. 2025
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But the Supreme Court justices in recent years have already undone a number of limits on religion in the public square — like affirming a public school football coach’s right to pray on the field with his players, or requiring school voucher eligibility for religious schools.—
Ian Max Stevenson,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
In Parable of the Sower published in 1993, Butler depicted an apocalyptic future through the perspective of a preacher's daughter, Lauren Olamina.—
Jireh Deng,
NPR,
8 Feb. 2025
-
Enough preachers have told him that over the years.—
Jeffrey Fleishman,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The occasion marked the halfway point between the winter and spring equinoxes, with clergymen blessing used candles and handing them out to locals every February 2.—
Rachel Dobkin,
Newsweek,
2 Feb. 2025
-
Most songs concern a protagonist who pursued a career as a clergyman despite a lack of faith.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Others, like the lecherous bishop (Peppe Lanzetta), seek to use her cerebral interests for a few quick sins of the flesh.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Which bishop best represented the biblical calls for serving the marginalized in our society, the fawning cardinal or the prophetic bishop?—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near ecclesiastic
Cite this Entry
“Ecclesiastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ecclesiastic. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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