1
as in temple
a building for public worship and especially Christian worship
a city that is noted for its many historic churches
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in congregation
a body of persons gathered for religious worship
spoke to the whole church at once
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in clergy
the group ordained to perform clerical functions in the Christian church
a time when few young men seem to want to join the church
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of church
The ambitious church, situated in the Eixample district of Barcelona, is in its final phase of construction.
—
Lillian Ali, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
The pews inside the spacious Catholic church were full, with people standing in the back.
—Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025
In late 2023, Nicole and her daughter Mackenzie drove from upstate New York and secretly picked up Natalia outside a church in Nashville.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Community Relations Service employees have quietly intervened with church leaders, community leaders, relatives of victims of violence and city administrators to ward off unrest, lawsuits or boycotts.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for church
Lillian Ali, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
The pews inside the spacious Catholic church were full, with people standing in the back.
—Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025
In late 2023, Nicole and her daughter Mackenzie drove from upstate New York and secretly picked up Natalia outside a church in Nashville.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Community Relations Service employees have quietly intervened with church leaders, community leaders, relatives of victims of violence and city administrators to ward off unrest, lawsuits or boycotts.
—Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for church
Recent Examples of Synonyms for church
Noun
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Huckabee said President Trump instructed him to insert a prayer written by the president into the wall - the last remaining part of a Jewish temple destroyed by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago.—
Hadeel Al-Shalchi,
NPR,
18 Apr. 2025
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The theme first cropped up in the cold open, which began ostensibly as a sketch about Easter—specifically about Jesus expelling money changers during an act known as the cleansing of the temple.—
Esther Zuckerman,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Clergy such as Ruiz, who arrived to the United States as a teen, are now shepherding their congregations through the fear of such crackdowns.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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The air is thick, the landscape breathtaking, and Ryan Coogler drops us in the middle of it all as a young Sammie (Miles Caton) wanders, haunted, into his preacher father's congregation.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Tensions also grew between Iraq's Sunni institutions over conflicting announcements, with dozens of Iraqis performing Eid prayers on Sunday, outside mosques and without clergy, according to media reports.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
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The National Immigration Law Center recommends that since ICE agents can enter areas open to congregants, places of worship concerned about the risks of arrests can identify non-public spaces like clergy housing or office.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The Vatican announced that the pope's body would be placed in a coffin on Monday evening, with Cardinal Kevin Farrell presiding over the rite in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
21 Apr. 2025
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Farrell is also expected to lead a procession transporting the pope's body from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta to St. Peter's Basilica.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Francis and Fernández de Kirchner were unfriendly neighbors in Plaza de Mayo, the central square that hosts both the government headquarters and the cathedral where Francis delivered homilies during much of her presidency from 2007 to 2015.—
Almudena Calatrava and Isabel Debre,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2025
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The collection also pays tribute to late French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, with a commemorative concert marking the 100th anniversary of his birth, and also features the first live concert at Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral following its reopening last year.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Blessed Sacrament Chapel’s tabernacle is supported by three legs, symbolizing the Holy Trinity.—
Elizabeth Marie Himchak,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2025
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Wye Oak Tavern is located in what used to be the school's chapel, with soaring ceilings, stained glass, a tabernacle, and a sizable pipe organ.—
Madeline Weinfield,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Church.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/church. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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