as in ministerial
of, relating to, or characteristic of the clergy
majestically robed in priestly garments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 priestly
Lopez’s thoughts turned to those who may have strayed from the faith, the priestly role in bringing them back and the importance of Christmas in perhaps sparking that return.
—
Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Dec. 2025
Full priestly duties June through October, combined with driving up and down the mountain, had been a stretch.
—CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
The names were common, but for good reason, as the Hasmonean priestly family was so revered.
—Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
The text records royal decrees including tax relief during poor Nile floods; donations to temples; the creation of a new priestly office; a festival tied to the heliacal rising of Sirius; and a calendar reform introducing a leap day every four years.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for priestly
Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Dec. 2025
Full priestly duties June through October, combined with driving up and down the mountain, had been a stretch.
—CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
The names were common, but for good reason, as the Hasmonean priestly family was so revered.
—Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
The text records royal decrees including tax relief during poor Nile floods; donations to temples; the creation of a new priestly office; a festival tied to the heliacal rising of Sirius; and a calendar reform introducing a leap day every four years.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for priestly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for priestly
Adjective
-
San Jose city staffers are slated to make a final decision before the end of May regarding a ministerial permit that would be the final step in the municipal approval process, according to a city planner’s email to this news organization.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
In each of the 11 countries, a national agency or dedicated ministerial department was set up to implement and track the project, with a coordinating entity, the Pan-African Great Green Wall Agency, based in Mauritania.—
Julie Bourdin,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Few wallpapers can nurture a childhood love of Fauvism with so little effort, but this ambling and pastoral mural can raise your little one to appreciate the finer things in life.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Set in a pastoral Kenyan village, Star’s battle for her identity puts her at odds with her community.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But there also were instances, once the Tribune brought these issues to the attention of the city and the firms, in which the law firms themselves discovered clerical errors (strangely always in their favor).—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
These were not clerical errors.—
Michael Carbonara,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Priestly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/priestly. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
