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

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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

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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

Support for the clerical leadership is paper thin, analysts say, and the new Supreme Leader, Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei, has not been seen in any new image since being wounded in the strike that killed his father. — Parisa Hafezi, USA Today, 3 July 2026 Historian Sandgruber describes how Alois Hitler wrote his 1895 letters in a deeply smug, anti-clerical manner that overestimated his abilities. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 June 2026 Valdez, who has Mexican and Native American heritage, credits her activism in a union of Columbia clerical workers and political involvement with the Democratic Socialists of America with giving her a sense of power and control over her own life. — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026 But because of an apparent clerical error, Lawson mistakenly maintained access to a confidential court database, the Comprehensive Case Information System, which is not public and only accessible by law enforcement, court and government officials. — Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for clerical

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clerical

Adjective

Yet the latest prime ministerial switch raises a fundamental question not just for Britain’s political future, but for that of other major European countries such as France and Germany.

— Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 25 June 2026
Under the agreement, at least four ministerial posts will change hands, but major strategies are expected to remain the same.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 June 2026

Definition of ministerial

Noun

In places such as Taiwan, Daoist priests can be seen today conducting rituals at community temples and annual festivals.

— Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 6 July 2026
At the moment the priest elevated the host during the consecration — the most sacred moment of the Catholic Mass, when Catholics believe bread becomes the body of Christ — thunder cracked loudly overhead.

— Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026

Definition of priest

Adjective

Rodeos in rural Australia are more modest affairs, with distinct cultural origins rooted in pastoral stations and country towns.

— Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Melinda Moore, a psychology professor at Eastern Kentucky University, noted that most clergy and faith leaders receive little or no training in pastoral care for those who are suicidal or suicide-bereaved.

— Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Definition of pastoral

Noun

The dynamic duo of Jonda Valentine, an artist and daughter of a Pentecostal preacher, and her longtime friend Christa Suppan, who started as a bartender when Lipstick first opened, share co-ownership of the two bars.

— Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 July 2026
The street preacher asks if someone could be cited if a transgender person is offended if they are misgendered by another person.

— Emily Holshouser July 2, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026

Definition of preacher

Noun

Revolutionary Guard members and clerics mourn on the esplanade of the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla mosque.

— Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Funeral ceremonies are expected to begin in Tehran and move to Qom, a stronghold of many senior Shiite clerics, then to Mashhad, Khamenei's birthplace.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 June 2026

Definition of cleric

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cleric

clerical

clericals

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“Clerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clerical. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of clerical

adjective

noun

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