as in letter
a message on paper from one person or group to another
the epistles of Saint Paul to various communities of early Christians
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Recent Examples of epistle
One of the earliest witnesses to the spread of Christianity, the codex features the first epistle of Peter and the Book of Jonah.
—
Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024
Yet the novel evolved incrementally from public to private, epistle to narrative as the scope of the vision enlarged.
—David L. Ulin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2024
The Pauline epistles contain numerous references to women who were instrumental in the leadership of the early church: Phoebe, a deaconess; Chloe; Apphia; Euodia; Nympha; Junia.
—Cressida Leyshon, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023
The Rapture has no scriptural basis besides an obviously metaphorical verse in Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians.
—Michael Robbins, Harper’s Magazine , 9 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for epistle
Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024
Yet the novel evolved incrementally from public to private, epistle to narrative as the scope of the vision enlarged.
—David L. Ulin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2024
The Pauline epistles contain numerous references to women who were instrumental in the leadership of the early church: Phoebe, a deaconess; Chloe; Apphia; Euodia; Nympha; Junia.
—Cressida Leyshon, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023
The Rapture has no scriptural basis besides an obviously metaphorical verse in Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians.
—Michael Robbins, Harper’s Magazine , 9 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for epistle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epistle
letter
Noun
-
The letter, which has since grown to nearly 5,000 signatures, was organized by the Committee for the First Amendment, the Future Film Coalition, the Writers Guild of America and the Democracy Defenders Fund.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
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In a statement to The Sacramento Bee, a spokesperson for Reform California dismissed the letter as a political attack against DeMaio.—
Andrew Graham
May 15,
Sacbee.com,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Epistle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epistle. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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