celibacy
noun
cel·i·ba·cy
ˈse-lə-bə-sē 
1
: the state of not being married
2
a
: abstention from sexual intercourse
b
: abstention by vow from marriage
priestly celibacy
Examples of celibacy in a Sentence
a widower who has maintained absolute celibacy since the death of his wife
Recent Examples on the Web
But many outsiders were also alarmed by their ritual dances, whose intensity and emotion demonstrated a physicality seemingly incongruous with their celibacy.
—
Christian Goodwillie, The Conversation, 22 Dec. 2025
While in prison for blasphemy, Lee had a risqué vision of Adam and Eve, and concluded that celibacy was the cure for worldly temptation.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Omarion has been very open about his intense celibacy experience in the past, previously discussing it last summer during a sit-down with the Know Thyself podcast.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2025
Altogether, the shift toward celibacy was high among the young Black dating community, with 43 percent of all Black Gen Z daters practicing celibacy, the dating site found.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
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Christian Goodwillie, The Conversation, 22 Dec. 2025
While in prison for blasphemy, Lee had a risqué vision of Adam and Eve, and concluded that celibacy was the cure for worldly temptation.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Omarion has been very open about his intense celibacy experience in the past, previously discussing it last summer during a sit-down with the Know Thyself podcast.
—Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2025
Altogether, the shift toward celibacy was high among the young Black dating community, with 43 percent of all Black Gen Z daters practicing celibacy, the dating site found.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for celibacy
Cite this Entry
“Celibacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/celibacy. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.
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celibacy
noun
cel·i·ba·cy
ˈsel-ə-bə-sē
: the state of not being married
especially
: the state of one who has taken a vow not to marry
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