How to Use pontiff in a Sentence

pontiff

noun
  • Bruni said that the pontiff then stayed at the monastery for a time of prayer.
    — Phoebe Natanson, ABC News, 4 Jan. 2023
  • Some might say that’s what the pontiff was doing.
    — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The pontiff quickly put him at ease.
    — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The prospect of a one-on-one with the pontiff had unnerved him, but not for long.
    — New York Times, 18 May 2018
  • One dresses to the nines to welcome the pontiff.
    — Séraphine Roger, Vanity Fair, 28 Mar. 2026
  • When the smiling pontiff was wheeled in, those there cheered wildly.
    — Antonia Mortensen, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025
  • He is tasked with overseeing the election of the next pontiff.
    — Eric Andersson, People.com, 26 Oct. 2024
  • During his address, the pontiff made a strong appeal for peace around the world.
    — NBC News, 2 Apr. 2024
  • Some actors talk about the effect of putting on the Pope's white robes to play the pontiff.
    — Daniel Burke, CNN, 20 Dec. 2019
  • The pontiff, in recent weeks, has spoken out against the war in Iran and called for peace.
    — Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Despite this, the pontiff seemed alert, shaking his head when an aide came over to ask him something.
    — Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Trump did not take kindly to the pontiff’s criticisms.
    — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
  • There is plenty of reasonable debate to be had about the present pontiff.
    — John Hirschauer, National Review, 25 Feb. 2020
  • Some hope the pontiff’s visit will remind the world of this rich history.
    — Saphora Smith, NBC News, 4 Mar. 2021
  • The pontiff also drew a clear line between his role and politics.
    — Elaine Rojas-Castillo, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
  • The post was an excerpt from a speech the pontiff gave in Cameroon on Thursday.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
  • The 86-year-old pontiff also gave reporters an update on his health.
    — Catherine Garcia, The Week, 30 Apr. 2023
  • But the supreme being and patron of all pontiffs has to be considered a wild card.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
  • In footage of the moment, the pontiff greets the crowd focusing on the children who had gathered to meet him.
    — Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE.com, 31 Dec. 2019
  • Vance was one of the last people to meet with the former pontiff, Pope Francis.
    — Meredith Kile, People.com, 18 May 2025
  • The hands appeared mostly normal — save for the wedding band on the pontiff’s ring finger.
    — Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2023
  • Nonetheless, thousands of Iraqis lined roads around the airport to catch a glimpse of the pontiff.
    — Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2021
  • The pontiff did so to affirm that Christ, not any dictator or nation state, was the one true king.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
  • The pontiff then summoned the nation’s bishops to Rome for last week’s meeting.
    — James Martin, WSJ, 20 May 2018
  • Despite this, the pontiff has kept in touch from his hospital bed with a parish in the Gaza Strip.
    — Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 18 Feb. 2025
  • The pontiff is a living example.
    — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
  • That bolsters the prospects that whoever becomes the next pontiff will share his vision for the future of the church.
    — Frances D'emilio, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2022
  • As pontiff, the Pope is one of the most powerful and influential movers on the world stage.
    — Steve Donoghue, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2018
  • The pontiff has been a strong messenger for global peace since the start of his papacy last May.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Leo shocked the world by being elected as the first American pontiff in May.
    — Mallory Wilson, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pontiff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: