as in beggar
a person who lives by public begging those wretched mendicants on the streets of Calcutta
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in monastic
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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 mendicant
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026 But those states also have Republican governors, who would have raised holy hell if their constituents had been menaced by these roving mobs of mendicants. —Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 28 Nov. 2025 His eyes alternated between the mendicant and Bob. —Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025 Guido eventually became a Dominican friar, dedicating himself to making art within the mendicant order; after his death, in 1455, he became known as Fra Angelico, or the Angelic Friar. —Louise Bokkenheuser, Air Mail, 4 Oct. 2025 Unlike monks who withdrew from ordinary life, mendicants stressed a life of poverty, spent in travel from town to town to preach and help the poor. —Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 27 May 2025 Augustinians are mendicants, like the Franciscans, Dominicans, and Carmelites. —Sonari Glinton, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025 In Thank You for Your Servitude, which for my money is the only truly interesting book about the Trump presidency, author Mark Leibovich goes into harrowing detail about how the modern GOP readily turned itself into a gaggle of mendicants to serve Trump on bended knee. —Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 29 Apr. 2023 All these words strike me as vaguely offensive except for mendicant and supplicant. —Stephen Miller, WSJ, 11 Oct. 2021
Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025 The first mendicant orders, like the Franciscans and Dominicans, received papal approval in the early 13th century. —Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 27 May 2025 The abrupt appearance and disappearance of the mendicant pilgrim is part of her power. —Seyward Darby, Longreads, 5 Apr. 2023 No doubt the traditional tunic and mantle of his mendicant religious order met some standard of austerity when they were adopted in the Middle Ages. —Nicholas Frankovich, National Review, 2 Jan. 2021
Noun
An internationally famous leader who lived a mendicant’s life. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026 But those states also have Republican governors, who would have raised holy hell if their constituents had been menaced by these roving mobs of mendicants. —Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 28 Nov. 2025 His eyes alternated between the mendicant and Bob. —Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025 Guido eventually became a Dominican friar, dedicating himself to making art within the mendicant order; after his death, in 1455, he became known as Fra Angelico, or the Angelic Friar. —Louise Bokkenheuser, Air Mail, 4 Oct. 2025 Unlike monks who withdrew from ordinary life, mendicants stressed a life of poverty, spent in travel from town to town to preach and help the poor. —Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 27 May 2025 Augustinians are mendicants, like the Franciscans, Dominicans, and Carmelites. —Sonari Glinton, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025 In Thank You for Your Servitude, which for my money is the only truly interesting book about the Trump presidency, author Mark Leibovich goes into harrowing detail about how the modern GOP readily turned itself into a gaggle of mendicants to serve Trump on bended knee. —Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 29 Apr. 2023 All these words strike me as vaguely offensive except for mendicant and supplicant. —Stephen Miller, WSJ, 11 Oct. 2021
Adjective
One was that literary journalism anthology the mendicant had flipped through. —Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025 The first mendicant orders, like the Franciscans and Dominicans, received papal approval in the early 13th century. —Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 27 May 2025 The abrupt appearance and disappearance of the mendicant pilgrim is part of her power. —Seyward Darby, Longreads, 5 Apr. 2023 No doubt the traditional tunic and mantle of his mendicant religious order met some standard of austerity when they were adopted in the Middle Ages. —Nicholas Frankovich, National Review, 2 Jan. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mendicant
Noun
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Antinous later shocked the other suitors by insulting and assaulting with a footstool an elderly beggar who had spoken to him in the palace hall.— Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Mar. 2026
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So disguised as a beggar, Odysseus shows up at his palace, and he is not treated very nicely by the suitors who have camped out in his house.— Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Whereas Allora’s dining room is quiet, serene, almost monastic, Aiona aims to be big, bright and boisterous.— Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026
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The Christian monastic site, which officials announced on March 23, featured a guesthouse with 13 rooms, as well as wall paintings.— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But degraded conventual forces could drive Putin to other means of exerting force.— Matt Seyler, ABC News, 10 May 2022
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The Rev. Brad Heckathorne, a Conventual Franciscan friar, performed the ceremony at the chapel at Duke University.— New York Times, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2017
Adjective
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Cameroonian political analyst Collins Molua Ikome highlighted that the pope is primarily a religious authority.— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
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That entity’s origins have something to do with the Church located in the repressed, religious suburb Naim’s (Bird) just moved to with his mother, played by the brilliant Aussie actress Mia Wasikowska.— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Speaking of divine intervention, Bobcats fans are no doubt praying for a first NAIA national football championship.— Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
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The secretary used the prayer to frame the war in Iran as an act of divine justice, the same justification Jackson’s character cites in the film before pulling the trigger.— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Of these, Anglicans traditionally hold only baptism and the Eucharist as sacraments instituted by Christ and regard the others as sacramental rites.— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Mar. 2026
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The sacramental palms can be kept at home and returned to church or nature, but should not to be thrown away, the Archdiocese noted.— Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mendicant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/mendicant. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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