defrocked

verb

past tense of defrock
as in deposed
to remove from a position of prominence or power (as a throne) the movie's director was defrocked for going way over budget

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 defrocked The charges arose after the church in January defrocked Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, who had previously called for Karekin's ouster. — Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2026 The priest who married them was really defrocked. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026 Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA defrocked Chief Executive Officer Luigi Lovaglio in an effort to end a bruising period of leadership turmoil. — Sonia Sirletti, Bloomberg, 25 Mar. 2026 Kiesle was finally defrocked in 1987. — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defrocked
  1. deposed
  2. sacked
  3. dismissed
Verb
  • Paxton wasn't a defendant in the suit, but as the company's former attorney, he was deposed in 2019 and in 2022.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The good news is the world has not seen a successful military coup since November of last year, when soldiers deposed the president of Guinea-Bissau on the coast of West Africa.
    — Keith B. Richburg, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of deposed
Verb
  • Darnold was sacked only 27 times during the regular season in 2025, compared to 50 for previous starter Geno Smith in 2024.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • He was then sacked 13 more times in his four starts, including eight in a 29-6 loss at New Orleans.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of sacked
Verb
  • Gibson Dunn, an external law firm, investigated and dismissed Love’s complaints.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Advertisement Unfortunately, some of my academic and clinical colleagues have dismissed this approach.
    — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of dismissed

Browse Nearby Words

defrock
defrocked
defrocking
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Cite this Entry

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

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