often capitalized
1
: the prayer leader of a mosque
2
: a Muslim leader of the line of Ali held by Shiites to be the divinely appointed, sinless, infallible successors of Muhammad
3
: any of various rulers that claim descent from Muhammad and exercise spiritual and temporal leadership over a Muslim region
Examples of imam in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The imam has met publicly with Michael Bloomberg, Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams with little controversy.
—
Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Since early summer, pastors, ministers, imams, rabbis and priests have stood between police and protesters in Los Angeles.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Cincinnati imam Ayman Soliman was held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Butler County Jail for 73 days.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 Oct. 2025
Victims have included pastors, rabbis, imams, monks, congregants, staff and children.
—James Densley, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imam
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Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Since early summer, pastors, ministers, imams, rabbis and priests have stood between police and protesters in Los Angeles.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Cincinnati imam Ayman Soliman was held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Butler County Jail for 73 days.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 Oct. 2025
Victims have included pastors, rabbis, imams, monks, congregants, staff and children.
—James Densley, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imam
Cite this Entry
“Imam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imam. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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