church

1
as in temple
a building for public worship and especially Christian worship a city that is noted for its many historic churches

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2
as in congregation
a body of persons gathered for religious worship spoke to the whole church at once

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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

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Example Sentences

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.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for church
Noun
  • 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
  • Narration tells us the story of Jesus and the cleansing of the temple.
    Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • In those two pews, America’s civic religion shows itself, with Biden and Trump clearly sitting on different sides of the chapel.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
  • On Monday evening, Farrell will preside over the ritual of certification of Francis’s death, including the laying of his body in a coffin in the chapel of the Vatican guesthouse where Francis lived.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Built in the 12th century, the cathedral features stunning Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Yes’ 1972 masterpiece was already a cathedral of sound, but Rhino’s deluxe edition transforms it into a shimmering sonic temple.
    Darryn King, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Church.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/church. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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