ayatollah
noun
aya·tol·lah
ˌī-ə-ˈtō-lə 
-ˈtä-
-ˈtä-
-ˈtə-,
ˈī-ə-ˌtō-,
-ˌtä-,
-ˌtə-
: a religious leader among Shiite Muslims
—used as a title of respect especially for one who is not an imam
Examples of ayatollah in a Sentence
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The ayatollah has repeatedly said Iran cannot trust that the United States would honor any bargain, especially after Mr. Trump pulled out of the last agreement to restrain Iran’s program.
—
David E. Sanger, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2025
Trump conceded that some might accuse him of going easy on the ayatollahs by entering negotiations.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
Azerbaijan, a majority Shia Muslim but staunchly secular country bordering Iran, has long clashed with the ayatollahs’ theocracy in Tehran.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Notably, Assad was pliant to the ayatollahs’ Iran, the theocratic state bent on reshaping the region in the name of Shi’ite jihad.
—Bassem Eid, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ayatollah
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David E. Sanger, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2025
Trump conceded that some might accuse him of going easy on the ayatollahs by entering negotiations.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
Azerbaijan, a majority Shia Muslim but staunchly secular country bordering Iran, has long clashed with the ayatollahs’ theocracy in Tehran.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
Notably, Assad was pliant to the ayatollahs’ Iran, the theocratic state bent on reshaping the region in the name of Shi’ite jihad.
—Bassem Eid, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ayatollah
Cite this Entry
“Ayatollah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ayatollah. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
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