as in clergy
the group ordained to perform clerical functions in the Christian church
a nation in which the first estate had long held a privileged position
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for first estate
Noun
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They were seen by the clergy, for example, to be distracted by chocolate, drinking it and gossiping instead of paying attention to mass.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026 -
Attempt to add clergy fails Earlier Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee voted 8-3 to defeat a bill that would have added clergy to the list of mandatory reporters.—
Seth Tupper & John Hult,
States Newsroom,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The 84-year-old—the mother of the Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie—has been missing since February 1, when her failure to attend church services triggered a wide-ranging and, as the days have worn on, ever more desperate search.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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Sather encouraged attendees to dress for the weather, as the church plans to lead a candlelit walk through the New Hope neighborhood after honoring the victims of ICE.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“First estate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/first%20estate. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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