as in church
the people of a religion who are not priests, ministers, etc.
a member of the laity The laity has played an important role in the history of the church.
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Recent Examples of laity
But the next pope will also lead a U.S. laity with some differences within it.
—
Anthony Salvanto, CBS News, 7 May 2025
Kevin Cardinal Farrell headed the Vatican’s family and laity office and is currently the one tasked with running the Holy See in the interval between a pope’s death and the election of the next one.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Francis expanded the College of Cardinals beyond the large dioceses and archdioceses to create geographic and cultural diversity and to better represent the makeup of the laity and where the church is growing.
—Christopher Watson, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025
As during the Protestant Reformation, the theological divide has extended beyond the clergy to the laity and the common faithful in the pew.
—Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018
See All Example Sentences for laity
Anthony Salvanto, CBS News, 7 May 2025
Kevin Cardinal Farrell headed the Vatican’s family and laity office and is currently the one tasked with running the Holy See in the interval between a pope’s death and the election of the next one.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Francis expanded the College of Cardinals beyond the large dioceses and archdioceses to create geographic and cultural diversity and to better represent the makeup of the laity and where the church is growing.
—Christopher Watson, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025
As during the Protestant Reformation, the theological divide has extended beyond the clergy to the laity and the common faithful in the pew.
—Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018
See All Example Sentences for laity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laity
Noun
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Andrew quit public life in 2019 over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein but makes occasional appearances at private family events, usually at church.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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This was at every church function.—
Sid Evans,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Standing outside the parish, Walz solemnly addressed reporters, lamenting that press conferences like this one had become all too common.—
Hannah Goldfield,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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Wake Up Dead Man is centered around a Catholic parish in the fictional town of Chimney Rock in upstate New York called Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude.—
Esther Zuckerman,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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With the last night of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve falling on the same day this year – something that rarely happens – the reverend and rabbi choose to offer a joint service for their congregations.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Sep. 2025
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Nickerson was immediately terminated after confessing to the behavior, McKinzie wrote in an email to the congregation at the time.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Laity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laity. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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