nuns

noun

plural of nun
as in monks

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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 nuns One of the nuns was allegedly killed by a demon appearing as a nun, and the other died by suicide to avoid being possessed by the evil force. — Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025 At some point, a pair of politically active nuns started hanging out at the Nash home, eventually leaving their formal nun habits, cast off as part of their activism, at the house. — Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nuns
  1. monks
  2. religious
  3. novices
  4. sisters
  5. Reverend Mother
  6. mother superior
  7. clerics
  8. mendicants
Noun
  • Two monks sustained serious injuries, and one monk lost part of his leg as a result of the crash.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of monks
Noun
  • As a young religious, Bishop-elect Lombardo did missionary work in Bolivia and Honduras.
    — Laura Rodríguez Presa, chicagotribune.com, 11 Sep. 2020
Definition of religious
Noun
  • Since achieving widespread fame in 2013, Rettig has overseen gatherings that have introduced thousands of novices to toad smoking.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
  • An aurora photographer who spoke to National Geographic offered tips for novices trying to take photos of the phenomenon, including would-be photographers who only have access to a smartphone camera.
    — Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of novices
Noun
  • Ten members of her family are missing — her two sisters and their three children.
    — Surendra Phuyal, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Then there’s Bucking Fastard, starring real-life sisters Kate and Rooney Mara and written and directed by Werner Herzog.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of sisters
Noun
  • What a theft of life and talent, and what a waste of care, quick-wittedness, and capability by Reverend Mother Constance.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2025
  • Wiest will play the Reverend Mother Constance Mary Cabot, who is responsible for keeping her convent running and keeping the sisters safe in episode 7.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of Reverend Mother
Noun
  • Wind your way through halls reminiscent of cloisters to dine with mountainous river views, sip cocktails in the bar that was once the office of the Mother Superior, or relax with a massage at the on-site spa.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026
  • Last year, Watson nabbed the Berlin Silver Bear best supporting performance award for her captivating portrayal of the formidable Mother Superior of the Magdalene Laundries in Tim Mielants’ Small Things Like These.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 Nov. 2025
Definition of mother superior
Noun
  • After six months of war, Iran’s leadership has coalesced around a hard core of military generals and clerics long entrenched in the ruling theocracy.
    — 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 clerics
Noun
  • Throughout much of Buddhist history, and particularly in Theravada Buddhist contexts, mindfulness and its associated meditation methods have been the purview of mendicants (monks and nuns), who used mindfulness meditation to achieve trance states (jhana) leading to nirvana.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
  • But those states also have Republican governors, who would have raised holy hell if their constituents had been menaced by these roving mobs of mendicants.
    — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 28 Nov. 2025
Definition of mendicants

Browse Nearby Words

nunnery
nuns
nuptial
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Cite this Entry

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

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