1
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
One would still occasionally see a Black Pentecostal church parade on a Sunday afternoon — white-turbaned women, drums and a horn section playing loud gospel music.
—
Naomi Jackson, Curbed, 11 Feb. 2026
On Tuesday, Sonia Sanabria took her 5-year-old daughter and 11-year-old nephew to a church in the Mission District neighborhood that offered free lunch to children out of school.
—Olga R. Rodriguez, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
Over the weekend, the RB church collected 3,856 food items.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Lemon and eight others were indicted last month in connection with a protest that disrupted a church service.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for church
Naomi Jackson, Curbed, 11 Feb. 2026
On Tuesday, Sonia Sanabria took her 5-year-old daughter and 11-year-old nephew to a church in the Mission District neighborhood that offered free lunch to children out of school.
—Olga R. Rodriguez, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
Over the weekend, the RB church collected 3,856 food items.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Lemon and eight others were indicted last month in connection with a protest that disrupted a church service.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for church
Recent Examples of Synonyms for church
Noun
-
The building, a former power plant abandoned in the ‘80s, looms over the crowd like a monolithic temple to techno.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Valentino, for instance, held a three-day lantern festival in January at Tianhou Palace, a historic temple along the Suzhou Creek in Shanghai.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
During the 8th to 10th centuries, this practice fell by the wayside and the penitential season of Lent started being marked with ashes placed on the heads of the entire congregation.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
13 Feb. 2026
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The queen consort joined the congregation for the service, recognizing the work of the Guild in curating public worship at St Bride’s and in the continued ministry to journalism.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
They were seen by the clergy, for example, to be distracted by chocolate, drinking it and gossiping instead of paying attention to mass.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Attempt to add clergy fails Earlier Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee voted 8-3 to defeat a bill that would have added clergy to the list of mandatory reporters.—
Seth Tupper & John Hult,
States Newsroom,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ten thousand cattails were used to create thin vertical rods, which were affixed to the perimeter of an octagonal skylight, creating a chapel with gently undulating walls.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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The chapel, a voice-over recording explained, was likely founded by monks in the early ninth century before the Arab conquest in 859 AD, and was used by shepherds to shelter their flocks until it was rediscovered in 1963.—
Adam Erace,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The landmark cathedral reopened in late 2024.—
Doug George,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
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And even the irreligious Bill de Blasio would join parishioners at the cathedral.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Vandals broke into a Catholic school in Long Beach overnight Monday, stealing church items, damaging statues and tossing the tabernacle to the ground, according to police and school officials.—
Summer Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Among the damage is a smashed statue of The Virgin Mary, other religious artifacts, like the tabernacle that stores communion, and destroyed furniture.—
Michele Gile,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Church.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/church. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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