megachurch

noun

mega·​church ˈme-gə-ˌchərch How to pronounce megachurch (audio)
plural megachurches
: a church having an extremely large congregation
The megachurch, one of the largest in the region with roughly 5,000 attendees at its Sunday morning Post Falls worship service, is also adding a 25,000-square-foot children's ministry building, which will include a large indoor play structure …Nicholas Deshais
In little more than a decade, his ministry has grown from a living-room Bible study to a megachurch that draws about 7,600 visitors to seven campuses around Seattle each Sunday …Molly Worthen

Examples of megachurch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The local megachurch is its own whole thing, with Shondaland stalwart Katie Lowes giving a delightfully overbearing performance as Jill, a preacher’s wife and Margo sidekick who’s plotting to profit off of her husband’s influence. Judy Berman, Time, 21 July 2025 Gateway Church will eliminate its Saturday services at all campuses besides the main Southlake campus, officials with the North Texas megachurch announced in an email Tuesday. Paris Goodman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 July 2025 Swaggart, in July 1986, had accused a megachurch rival, New Orleans First Assembly of God Pastor Marvin Gorman, of committing immoral acts with a number of women over a period of years. Frank E. Lockwood, Arkansas Online, 1 July 2025 Another Miami megachurch with a prominent Haitian-American congregation, Tabernacle of Glory, has credited its large following with its emphasis on the supernatural. Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for megachurch

Word History

Etymology

mega- + church entry 1

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of megachurch was in 1966

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Cite this Entry

“Megachurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/megachurch. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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