1
: marked by strict conformity or zealous adherence to the forms or beliefs of a church
2
: of or suggestive of a church or church services

Examples of churchy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Toward the end of the show, Puth explained the importance of gospel music to his songwriting—playing some churchy chord changes—and brought out Kirk Franklin. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 30 May 2026 In a marble-floored lobby that smelled of churchy frankincense, a row of staff in Charlie Casely-Hayford suits greeted us like old friends. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 May 2026 There has always been something slightly churchy about Bon Iver’s music. Mitch Therieau, Pitchfork, 8 Apr. 2026 My grandmother [was pretty churchy]; my parents, not so much. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2026 This is a shockingly churchy development. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2025 It’s accompanied mostly by Russell’s banjo picking, but adds churchy overtones. Jon Pareles, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 And soon enough, a much churchier view — Cartesian dualism — emerged. Sigal Samuel, Vox, 4 June 2024 Nicky gets some solidarity from his sister Alex (Emily Donahoe), joking that their churchy folks (Kate Burton and Michael Countryman) have had to absorb the disappointment of a gay son and a divorced daughter and now get the fresh blow of a divorced gay son. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of churchy was in 1843

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Cite this Entry

“Churchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/churchy. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

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