as in dogmatical
given to or marked by the forceful expression of strongly held opinions
a theater critic known for his pontifical pronouncements on what is or is not worth seeing
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Recent Examples of pontifical
The prose is confiding and, in places, pontifical.
—
Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2020
That revelation, coupled with other recent pontifical critiques, have quickly dissolved the notion that the Dec. 31 death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a symbolic leader of the church’s conservative wing, might lessen the opposition to Francis.
—Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2023
Because of its original purpose, however, the building also has its peculiarities: the pontifical horses lived in grand style on two levels of soaring stalls, connected by a monumental, gently sloping ramp of travertine bricks.
—Ingrid D. Rowland, The New York Review of Books, 20 Aug. 2020
The prevailing view of Wordsworth—pontifical, orthodox, austere—was entrenched by the Victorians, who praised him for the very qualities the Younger Romantics had mocked.
—Matthew Bevis, Harper's Magazine, 23 June 2020
Lifting the rule of pontifical secrecy does not clarify church official’s obligations to comply with such requests.
—Washington Post, 13 Jan. 2020
The Vatican had previously argued that the imposition of pontifical secrecy was necessary to protect both victim and accused.
—BostonGlobe.com, 18 Dec. 2019
Critics said the pontifical secret was used to keep the scandal hidden, prevent police from acquiring internal documentation and silence victims.
—Nicole Winfield, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Dec. 2019
Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2020
That revelation, coupled with other recent pontifical critiques, have quickly dissolved the notion that the Dec. 31 death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a symbolic leader of the church’s conservative wing, might lessen the opposition to Francis.
—Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2023
Because of its original purpose, however, the building also has its peculiarities: the pontifical horses lived in grand style on two levels of soaring stalls, connected by a monumental, gently sloping ramp of travertine bricks.
—Ingrid D. Rowland, The New York Review of Books, 20 Aug. 2020
The prevailing view of Wordsworth—pontifical, orthodox, austere—was entrenched by the Victorians, who praised him for the very qualities the Younger Romantics had mocked.
—Matthew Bevis, Harper's Magazine, 23 June 2020
Lifting the rule of pontifical secrecy does not clarify church official’s obligations to comply with such requests.
—Washington Post, 13 Jan. 2020
The Vatican had previously argued that the imposition of pontifical secrecy was necessary to protect both victim and accused.
—BostonGlobe.com, 18 Dec. 2019
Critics said the pontifical secret was used to keep the scandal hidden, prevent police from acquiring internal documentation and silence victims.
—Nicole Winfield, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Dec. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pontifical
Adjective
-
The outspoken Goldberg could come across as dogmatic and inflexible, but proved strategic behind the scenes.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Dec. 2024
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A week before he was eventually dismissed, English pundit Jamie Carragher likened tactically dogmatic coaches like Martin to wearing a T-shirt and shorts in the rain.—
Elias Burke,
The Athletic,
23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The stubborn machine has won, and politicians are, for the most part, just fodder, which means that every politician who has to stand in front of a camera after a tragedy turns into another battle site in an endless culture war.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
The New Yorker,
16 Jan. 2025
-
The bigger question is what happens if the economy, and in particular the labor market, weakens while inflation remains stubborn.—
Ben Casselman,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Water signs may relate closely to wise and opinionated Owl while Earth signs may relate to the reserved and — sometimes gloomy — Eeyore.—
Athena Sobhan,
People.com,
18 Jan. 2025
-
Finebaum, a former newspaper columnist who moved to Charlotte in 2013, is its opinionated star.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In an interview days before Trump’s inauguration, Rosenworcel is adamant that regulation is part of the answer to America’s telecom security crisis.—
Eric Geller,
WIRED,
17 Jan. 2025
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David Poole is adamant that the sales team is always upfront about the risks as well as upsides of investing.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
In 2024, that worked, but the coalition that powered Trump’s victory drew heavily from those less engaged in politics and who ranged, ideologically, from doctrinaire social conservatives, such as Vance, to contrarian ex-liberals, such as Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
The New Yorker,
21 Dec. 2024
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Its leaders become priests who shepherd their flocks according to the doctrinaire agenda of their faith.—
Letters To The Editor,
The Mercury News,
15 Nov. 2024
Articles Related to pontifical
Thesaurus Entries Near pontifical
Cite this Entry
“Pontifical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pontifical. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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