as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church
a clergyperson of your choice would be the best one to advise on this spiritual matter
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Recent Examples of clergyperson
What makes the family tradition sustainable in central Massachusetts, where the Vallelis now live, is a pastor-sharing arrangement between two congregations that couldn’t afford a full-time clergyperson on their own.
—
G. Jeffrey MacDonald, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2020
G. Jeffrey MacDonald, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clergyperson
Noun
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And, over time, fewer new European priests arrived in Kongo, making translation less necessary.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
12 July 2025
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One particular enemy of Gauguin’s was Bishop Martin, a Catholic priest on Hiva Oa who did his best to stomp out local custom, forbidding tattooing, Polynesian dancing, and the customary practice of polyandry.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
Noun
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The Atlanta preacher was visiting the city to march alongside striking workers.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
22 July 2025
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The dynamic and popular preacher discomfited many in his parish with his increasingly pointed critiques of inequities and corruption in the city.—
Time,
Time,
22 July 2025
Noun
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Images on social media showed clergymen in black robes who had rushed to the scene jostling with police as members of the NSS stood by.—
Avet Demourian,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2025
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Born in 1775, Austen grew up in the Hampshire countryside, where her father served as a clergyman in the village of Steventon.—
Ellen Wexler,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 July 2025
Noun
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John MacArthur, pastor of Grace Community Church (GCC) in Sun Valley, California, has reportedly been hospitalized with pneumonia following years of health complications.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
14 July 2025
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Advertisement Religion, government, and power The ambitious Pentecostal pastor and televangelist Malafaia—considered a kingmaker, is among those religious leaders in Brazil who have amassed wealth and celebrity through their sermons.—
Emi Eleode,
Time,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clergyperson.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clergyperson. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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