clerical 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkler-i-kəl How to pronounce clerical (audio)
Definition of clericalnext
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
Palo Alto police confirmed the 49ers coach was at fault and said a clerical error led a state database to wrongly blame the other driver, a 21-year-old woman. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 28 July 2026 After doing clerical work, he was assigned to the Katsura Imperial Villa in his fourth year. — Hiroshige Yazawa Japan News, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2026 In the public notice announcing the ship’s passengers, Joseph Shiers was transformed into Joseph Shires—perhaps a clerical error, perhaps a hint of his tendency toward reinvention. — Literary Hub, 10 July 2026 During Israel’s war with Iran, the clerical regime’s forces fired missiles into the Jordan Valley. — Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for clerical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clerical
  1. ministerial
  2. priest
  3. pastoral
  4. preacher
  5. cleric
Adjective
  • France and Saudi Arabia have formed a task force on energy and logistics connections between the Middle East and Europe that is scheduled to meet at the ministerial level Monday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Aug. 2026
  • In 2002, the FA was forced to change the name of the competition by the Charity Commission — the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of ministerial
Noun
  • There haven’t been any female popes, cardinals, archbishops or priests.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Even a local Catholic priest launched a holy war against the school over its new athletic facility.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of priest
Adjective
  • This 1920s hooked rug serves as a piece of American folk art and its pastoral nursery rhyme scene lends the right amount of charm.
    — Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Although the film is about a specific Somali pastoral community, the emotions and questions at its center are universal.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pastoral
Noun
  • In the movie, a local brothel — the Devil’s Playhouse — becomes the target of a TV preacher, forcing the town’s sheriff, who happens to be a frequent customer, to save it.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The son of a former preacher, the South Carolina native grew up around music.
    — Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of preacher
Noun
  • Iran's Assembly of Experts, a group of 88 clerics, picked the mid-ranking cleric with influence in the country's security forces and business networks to succeed his father, announcing the decision March 8.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The story begins in 1810, when Johann Wilhelm Ebel, a young cleric who had studied at the University of Königsberg, returned to the city as a teacher and preacher.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of cleric

Browse Nearby Words

cleric
clerical
clericals
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Cite this Entry

“Clerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clerical. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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