megachurch

noun

mega·​church ˈme-gə-ˌchərch How to pronounce megachurch (audio)
plural megachurches
: a church having an extremely large congregation
The megachurch, one of the largest in the region with roughly 5,000 attendees at its Sunday morning Post Falls worship service, is also adding a 25,000-square-foot children's ministry building, which will include a large indoor play structure …Nicholas Deshais
In little more than a decade, his ministry has grown from a living-room Bible study to a megachurch that draws about 7,600 visitors to seven campuses around Seattle each Sunday …Molly Worthen

Examples of megachurch 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.
The judge set the date for the former Texas megachurch pastor’s next appearance on Sept. 4, CBS News reported. Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 May 2025 With packed rows of congregants, an evangelical bent and technology that wouldn’t feel out of place at a stadium concert, the Gemstones’ megachurch isn’t far off from the real thing. Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 3 May 2025 The indictment of a former megachurch pastor in Oklahoma on child abuse charges relied on the application of an frontier-era law. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 14 Mar. 2025 The pastor, 63-year-old Robert Morris, stepped down from his position with the North Texas megachurch last summer, the Star-Telegram reported at the time. Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for megachurch

Word History

Etymology

mega- + church entry 1

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of megachurch was in 1966

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Cite this Entry

“Megachurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/megachurch. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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