The church's publication of a rant against same-sex marriage was clearly a clerical error.
Source: tatoeba (2337176)
Clerical
Synonyms for "clerical" (102 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (21)
Noun(6 words)
admin officeadministrative capacityadministrative functionadministrative officeadministrative responsibilitiesadministrative task
Adjective(8 words)
administrativeadministrative areaadministrative bodyadministrative dutiesadministrative mattersadministrative practiceadministrative vacancybureaucratic
Strong matches (30)
Noun(6 words)
Adjective(6 words)
Related words (51)
Noun(9 words)
ministerministerialmonasticofficepadrepapalparsonpastorpastoralpontificalpreacherprelatialprelaticpriest-riddenpriestishpriestlyprofessionalrabbinicrectorreverend
Show 7 more words
Adjective(13 words)
minoan priestnonexecutivenonexecutive rolesnonteachingnonteaching labeloffice-basedpastoral societypriestlierpriestlyreligiousreligious ordervestmentalvicarial
Determiner(1 words)
most administrative procedure
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abbatial, abbatical, abbe, accounting, admin office.
- Sentence evidence is available for clerical, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "clerical".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "clerical"
Keep "clerical" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "clerical" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "clerical", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "clerical" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
5 entriesMore specific
7 entriesCollocations
6 entriesclerical collarclerical dutiesclerical errorclerical staffclerical tasksclerical work
Inflections
2 entriesmore clericalmost clerical
Derivations
6 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
7 total sentences available.
A collar may come in many varieties, from button-down to clerical, and Mandarin to Masonic, but it is never a lapel.
Source: tatoeba (4476653)
I find it so strange that keyboards can be both musical and clerical.
Source: tatoeba (9497952)
With a unanimity which seems almost incomprehensible, and for a long time was not understood by historians, the urban agglomerations, down to the smallest burgs, began to shake off the yoke of their worldly and clerical lords.
Source: tatoeba (10265603)
Showing 4 of 7 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "clerical"?
Closest matches include abbatial, abbatical, abbe, accounting, admin office.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "clerical"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.