1
: a clergyperson in charge of a chapel
2
: a clergyperson officially attached to a branch of the military, to an institution, or to a family or court
3
: a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as at a meeting of a club or society)
4
: a clergyperson appointed to assist a bishop (as at a liturgical function)
Examples of chaplain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Similar to medical providers who often see risking exposure to infection as part of their professional responsibility, many clergy and chaplains in medical settings understand their vocation to include such a risk.
—
Laura E. Alexander, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
As chief chaplains, Dolan and Bernard will oversee a team of clergy members representing the Catholic, Methodist, Jewish, Pentecostal, Muslim and Greek Orthodox religions, according to the NYPD’s website.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
In Washington, the House of Representatives interrupted its session and the chaplain prayed for the astronauts.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
After the governor’s mansion was firebombed last year, hours after the Shapiro family had held their Passover seder, an elderly fire-department chaplain named John Wardle handed Shapiro a handwritten prayer.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
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Laura E. Alexander, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2026
As chief chaplains, Dolan and Bernard will oversee a team of clergy members representing the Catholic, Methodist, Jewish, Pentecostal, Muslim and Greek Orthodox religions, according to the NYPD’s website.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
In Washington, the House of Representatives interrupted its session and the chaplain prayed for the astronauts.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
After the governor’s mansion was firebombed last year, hours after the Shapiro family had held their Passover seder, an elderly fire-department chaplain named John Wardle handed Shapiro a handwritten prayer.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chaplain
Cite this Entry
“Chaplain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaplain. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
chaplain
noun
chap·lain
ˈchap-lən 
1
: a member of the clergy officially attached to a special group (as the army)
2
: a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as for a club)
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