abbess

Definition of abbessnext

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 abbess The 12th-century abbess, composer, philosopher, and visionary becomes a thrilling subject when backed by modular synths, Ukrainian folk singing, and high medieval music. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 30 May 2025 When the abbess died in 866, she was buried in the abbey church. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 22 Feb. 2024 Groff imagined the poet Marie de France as a teenager forced to venture into the dark woods to serve as the abbess. Ron Charles, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2023 One of them was the abbess of a female religious community in Kent from around 733 to 761 CE, which is consistent with the dating of MS Selden Supra 30. Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for abbess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abbess
Noun
  • Marie, who becomes the prioress of the abbey at 17, begins a rise to power — or as much power as a woman is permitted — using her fellow nuns to fight off political and violent incursions.
    Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Matrix by Lauren Groff Currents of violence and devotion coalesce around Marie de France, a 17-year-old sent to be the new prioress of a 12th-century English abbey.
    Mia Barzilay Freund, Vogue, 7 July 2025
Noun
  • Arcangela Tarabotti, a seventeenth-century Venetian nun who was put into a convent against her will, wrote a critique of coerced enclosure that begins by eviscerating the idea that men are by nature superior to women.
    Chandler Fritz, The New York Review of Books, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Alfonso’s nun in her Balenciaga stared out at me dolled up in mine.
    Han Ong, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • In the medieval church, women’s roles were limited – usually some form of enclosure and celibacy, such as becoming an anchoress walled up alone for life, or a nun in a classic convent.
    Joelle Rollo-Koster, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Louise, a former anchoress, is her humble, tyrannical maid.
    Hervé Guibert, Harper's Magazine, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • After years of working in his garden, the former novice has figured out what grows well in his yard’s different spots.
    Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
  • In China, OpenClaw has received a particularly fervent welcome among AI enthusiasts and novices alike.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha was finished in 1997 and is located in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, China, in a sacred scenic area said to have been established by the 7th-century monk Xuanzang.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Serving as director of mindfulness at Japanese skincare company Tatcha since 2021 and leading meditation workshops at Fortune 500 businesses like Meta and Sony, the monk is bringing his ancient practice to people all around the world with a modern approach.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Jump to Answer In Sinners, Wunmi Mosaku’s character, Annie, is the resident priestess.
    Craigh Barboza, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026
  • She’s being honored for her portrayal of Annie, the hoodoo priestess who is such a grounding force for the 2025 film.
    Kemi Alemoru, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • As a young religious, Bishop-elect Lombardo did missionary work in Bolivia and Honduras.
    Laura Rodríguez Presa, chicagotribune.com, 11 Sep. 2020
Noun
  • The abbot of Wat Saman Rattanaram in Chachoengsao province, about 50 miles east of Bangkok, warned that cremation services may have to be suspended.
    Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Phommasan, a native of Laos and abbot at a Buddhist temple in Snellville, was recently fitted with a prosthetic leg at Mercer University.
    AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 20 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Abbess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abbess. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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