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
Recent Examples on the Web
The debate is no longer simply about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gaza, but rather about Israel facing Tehran’s ayatollahs and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
—
Lloyd Green, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2024
Saddam’s history of supporting terrorism was less compelling than that of the dictators Muammar al-Qaddafi of Libya or Hafez al-Assad of Syria, not to mention Iran’s ayatollahs.
—John Walcott, Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar. 2023
The ayatollahs still control all of the power within Iran.
—Abc News, ABC News, 20 May 2024
The thought that nuclear weapons are in the hands of people like Kim Jong Un, and will soon be in the hands of the ayatollahs of Iran is terrifying.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 17 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ayatollah 
Lloyd Green, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2024
Saddam’s history of supporting terrorism was less compelling than that of the dictators Muammar al-Qaddafi of Libya or Hafez al-Assad of Syria, not to mention Iran’s ayatollahs.
—John Walcott, Foreign Affairs, 19 Mar. 2023
The ayatollahs still control all of the power within Iran.
—Abc News, ABC News, 20 May 2024
The thought that nuclear weapons are in the hands of people like Kim Jong Un, and will soon be in the hands of the ayatollahs of Iran is terrifying.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 17 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ayatollah
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ayatollah.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Ayatollah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ayatollah. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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