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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clerical
Pat Maio, Oc Register, 19 Oct. 2025
Peabody-Whitehead was formerly a boarding house, several nightclubs and restaurants, and clerical offices, among other commercial uses, Wertenteil said.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
In a clip shared on social media, Black, dressed in his clerical garb, is seen being struck by the pepper ball and collapsing on the ground as others come to his aid.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
In July, another inmate at the same jail was mistakenly released due to what officials say was a clerical error stemming from two similar last names.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clerical
Adjective
The steelworkers represent licensed vocational nurses, medical assistants, engineers, pharmacy staff and lab staff, clerical, dietary and environmental services workers, technical staff, and other frontline professionals.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 19 Oct. 2025
Peabody-Whitehead was formerly a boarding house, several nightclubs and restaurants, and clerical offices, among other commercial uses, Wertenteil said.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
In a clip shared on social media, Black, dressed in his clerical garb, is seen being struck by the pepper ball and collapsing on the ground as others come to his aid.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
In July, another inmate at the same jail was mistakenly released due to what officials say was a clerical error stemming from two similar last names.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clerical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clerical
Adjective
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To that end, the WTO has convened a group of nearly 70 members to negotiate a landmark e‑commerce agreement — the first of its kind — with a first phase expected by the March 2026 ministerial conference.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
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Takaichi’s career in politics spans across a handful of ministerial posts and a decade in Japan’s congress.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The man, named as 69-year-old Morimasa Hibino by the Japanese embassy, was spotted in the ditch next to the monument about seven meters (23 feet) below the street level by a priest who alerted authorities.—
Barbie Latza Nadeau,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
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The paranormal investigators claim to have been summoned by a priest named Father Cooke when two young women — Donna and Angie — wanted to perform an exorcism to get rid of the spirit of a dead 7-year-old girl named Annabelle Higgins, who had inhabited their doll.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Bloody battles raged throughout the fall of 1863 along the banks of the Tennessee River, in pastoral valleys, and on the flanks of Lookout Mountain, a long, craggy ridge overlooking the city.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
28 Oct. 2025
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Tolkien conceived of the Shire as the quaint, pastoral homeland of the Hobbits, a race of short yet courageous dwellers of the fictional Middle-earth.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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At this point, Malcolm was no longer an up-and-coming preacher.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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Enter Caleb Samuel — a flashy, social media–famous preacher’s kid with three million followers, a fast car, and a complicated relationship with his megachurch dynasty.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Analysts point to how the restrictions have held, despite high-level pushback by other prominent clerics, and multiple attempts on the ground to sidestep the rules.—
NPR,
NPR,
14 Oct. 2025
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Abdus Salam Mujib, a local Islamic cleric and caretaker for the school, shared a public apology the day after the incident, though school officials have yet to comment.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clerical. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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