Calvin put the eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans as the basis of his theory of predestination.
Source: tatoeba (8308519)
Epistle
/ɪˈpɪsl̩/
Synonyms for "epistle" (44 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (9)
Strong matches (13)
Noun(5 words)
Adjective(1 words)
french lettre
Related words (22)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: acknowledgment, agnus dei, alleluia, answer, billet.
- Sentence evidence is available for epistle, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, opengloss, wiktionary.
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 "epistle".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "epistle"
Keep "epistle" 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 "epistle" 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 "epistle", 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 "epistle" 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
4 entriesMore specific
3 entriescatholic epistlepastoral epistlepauline epistle
Collocations
6 entriesbiblical epistleepistle to the Romansepistolary formepistolary letterpastoral epistlepauline epistle
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
33 translations across 26 languages.
Arabic
2 entries- ألوكة noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
- رِسَالَة noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Armenian
1 entries- նամակ noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
1 entries- ܐܸܓܲܪܬܵܐ noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Bulgarian
1 entries- послание noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Catalan
1 entries- epístola noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Czech
1 entries- epištola noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Finnish
2 entries- epistola noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
- kirjoittaa kirje verb ((transitive) to write (something) in, or in the form of, a letter; (intransitive) to write a letter)
French
2 entries- épitre noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
- épître noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
German
1 entries- Epistel noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Greek
1 entries- επιστολή noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Hebrew
1 entries- אִגֶּרֶת noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Hungarian
1 entries- episztola noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Italian
1 entries- epistola noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Latin
1 entries- epistola noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Macedonian
1 entries- послание noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Malay
1 entries- warkah noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Polish
2 entries- epistoła noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
- list noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Portuguese
2 entries- carta noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
- epístola noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Romanian
2 entries- epistole noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
- epistolă noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Russian
1 entries- посла́ние noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Scottish Gaelic
1 entries- litir noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Serbo-Croatian
2 entries- epìstola noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
- епѝстола noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Spanish
1 entries- epístola noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Swedish
1 entries- epistel noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Tocharian B
1 entries- parso noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Ukrainian
1 entries- посла́ння noun (letter, especially one which is formal or issued publicly — see also letter)
Sample sentences
24 total sentences available.
Paul's purpose in this epistle is to show Christians that these sublime and divine mysteries are absolutely beyond all human thought, human understanding or wisdom.
Source: tatoeba (11459212)
[Y]our Grace ſhal herein perceiue a nevv faſhion of diſcourſe, by Epistles; nevv to our language, uſual to others: and (as Noueltie is neuer vvithout ſome plea of vſe) more free, more familiar.
Source: wiktionary
For in this Addreſs to your Lordſhip, I deſign not a Treatiſe of Heroick Poetry, but vvrite in a looſe Epiſtolary vvay, ſomevvhat tending to that Subject, after the Example of Horace, in his Firſt Epiſtle of the Second Book to Auguſtus Cæſar, and of that to the Piſo’s, vvhich vve call his Art of Poetry.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 24 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "epistle"?
Closest matches include acknowledgment, agnus dei, alleluia, answer, billet.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "epistle"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.