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

The office manages the court's administrative, recordkeeping, and clerical functions. — Tom Daykin, jsonline.com, 15 Aug. 2026 The abbot eventually suspended the monk from his clerical duties a few months ago and the pair’s relationship worsened, per the outlet. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026 The jobs were broken down into around 200 management roles, 67 office or clerical roles, 67 professional, 534 skilled and 133 unskilled. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 6 Aug. 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 See All Example Sentences for clerical

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clerical

Adjective

The city said the clerk’s role in processing nomination papers is a ministerial duty under state law.

— Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of ministerial

Noun

In 1972, William Christopher joined the cast of M*A*S*H as Father John Mulcahy, the Catholic priest who serves as the Army chaplain.

— Rachel Flynn, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
For the traditional Telugu Hindu ceremony, their priest translated Sanskrit to English in real time, and the mandap was designed as a circle to represent how life flows into itself for eternity.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of priest

Adjective

There are mental health resources, risk management programs, and chapter chaplains who provide real pastoral support.

— Todd Buchanan, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
Engineer Tim Goldstone mixed the album in the English countryside, with the band hanging out in the pastoral setting of Ridge Farm Studio, where the Smiths had recorded Meat Is Murder.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of pastoral

Noun

Soon, the vast stadium was packed — not with rugby fans or concertgoers, but with thousands who came to pray with an African preacher.

— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
The hunting buddies thank God and good friends that McCoy, a Baptist preacher, survived the attack at all.

— Jan Thacker, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of preacher

Noun

That post went to Hossein Taeb, a hard-line cleric and longtime intelligence chief who led one of the first major crackdowns on protests, in 2009.

— Lee Keath, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of cleric

Browse Nearby Words

cleric

clerical

clericals

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“Clerical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clerical. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of clerical

adjective

noun

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