CLERICAL Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

clerical 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkler-i-kəl

Definition of clerical

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

clerical

2 of 2

noun

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of clerical

Adjective

By all accounts, the real Grandier was a handsome, charismatic speaker as well as a serial philanderer who spoke out against clerical celibacy. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026 Becerra’s father later began a construction career that lasted 30 years, while his mother worked as a clerical worker and later purchased rental properties. — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 He is currently being detained at the prison ward designated for clerical inmates, according to official Iranian news reports. — Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026 Permanent conflict will only further elevate Iranians in uniform over Iranians in suits—and perhaps even over Iranians in clerical garb. — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for clerical

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clerical

Adjective

Not to mention the loss of face this suspension would cause his father, who also worked for the Kuomintang and who’d laid his ministerial connections on the line to make his son’s American education possible.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
The ministerial meeting primarily addressed mass-market, peer-to-peer resale platforms and open classified sites handling massive volumes of uncurated, low-cost goods, de Coutard says.

— Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of ministerial

Noun

In an email sent to priests of the archdiocese on Saturday afternoon and shared with NPR, Archbishop Ronald Hicks also said the deal had not yet been signed but that an agreement had been reached with plaintiffs and their attorneys.

— Chandelis Duster, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
The Georgetown initiative focuses on descendants of slaves sold by Georgetown's Jesuit priests to slaveholders in Louisiana.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of priest

Adjective

His retreat to pastoral family life was a necessary step in reconnecting with his own musical talents.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 21 Oct. 2026
In today’s commercial age of plenty, the most important task of the dust jacket is to match a book to your mood, from the pastoral watercolor tones of the travel narrative or cosy domestic romance, to the dark hues of the murder mystery.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of pastoral

Noun

The preacher was arrested in 2023 after police received a tip-off, and weeks later authorities began uncovering bodies in shallow graves in the Shakahola Forest near the coast in southeastern Kenya.

— Jefferson Kahinju Reuters, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
In the background of a gut-wrenching new album from Teller Bank$, there’s a preacher who sees himself in the biblical parable of Noah’s ark.

— Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of preacher

Noun

Attendance was mandatory, but a cleric with a loudspeaker tried to give the event a festive air.

— Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026
The lawmaker, Hamid Rasaei, a cleric who has regularly lashed out at Iran’s negotiating team, is a member of the ultra-hard-line political party Paydari.

— Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of cleric

Browse Nearby Words

cleric

clerical

clericals

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Clerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clerical. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of clerical

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes