celibate

as in chaste
not engaging in sexual intercourse celibate monks and nuns They have chosen to lead celibate lives.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 celibate Cheryl Burke doesn't mind being single and celibate. Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 14 Feb. 2025 An 86-year-old woman from Manhattan, New York, has gained viral attention after sharing the story behind her decision to remain single, and celibate, for over four decades. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024 In a September interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the Grammy winner — who's reportedly nearing billionaire status — opened up about why he's chosen to stay single and celibate as his career continues at a high speed. Jack Irvin, People.com, 15 Oct. 2024 In addition to Omarion and Lenny, singer Mya has also shared that she’s been celibate for seven years, and it’s given her mental clarity. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 12 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for celibate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for celibate
Adjective
  • Some medieval and Renaissance artists, for example, portrayed Mary breast-feeding the infant Jesus at a chaste distance, such that the milk spurts of its own accord into his mouth.
    S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Hellbent on destroying the pure, chaste and overly self-righteous preacher who denied her satisfaction, Salome performs a seductive dance at her stepfather Herod’s birthday feast.
    E.R. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The cross-continent trek for Rye Riptides, which students and now-retired Rye Junior High School science teacher Sheila Adams stuffed with photos of the Rye students, a facemask with their signatures on it, fall leaves, acorns and state quarters, was conducted with the help of Educational Passages.
    Ian Lenahan, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2022
  • The totem pole was carved by members of the Lummi Nation and is being transported from their home in Washington state to Washington, D.C., as part of a 15-day, cross-continent journey to advocate for the protection of sacred places and the expansion of tribal sovereignty rights.
    Zak Podmore, The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 July 2021
Adjective
  • What To Know James, who was born in Brooklyn and is unmarried, filed the civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and the Trump Organization in October 2023.
    Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Half the adults in the U.S. are unmarried, and half of them aren’t seeking a relationship.
    Peter McGraw, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Would the virginal and so presumably menstruating Mary have been barred from worshipping her son?
    S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Why keep up this fake pretense that each date is somehow brand-new, virginal?
    Anelise Chen, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Since 1973, at least 200 innocent people have been exonerated due to wrongful convictions.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
  • In a nearly 400-page petition to the California Court of Appeals, filed Friday night, the LA Innocence Project argued Scott Peterson is innocent and his conviction should be overturned.
    Santina Leuci, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In a skillet, sweat the onion with half the extra virgin olive oil for several minutes over medium heat.
    Isabella Milano, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Breakthroughs are being made through the use of hydrometallurgical processes to recycle graphite, while research from London's Imperial College suggests that small batteries made with recycled cathode active materials can perform better than those made with virgin materials from Chinese suppliers.
    Elena Bou, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025

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“Celibate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/celibate. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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