Illustration of steeple
: a tall structure usually having a small spire at the top and surmounting a church tower
broadly
: a whole church tower
Examples of steeple in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In Tuesday’s meeting, a proposal to approve the plans — with the 85-foot steeple — and another proposal to reject it both failed on 3-3 ties.
—
Scott D. Pierce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 Aug. 2023
That, however, does not mean the church has given up its plans for a 77-foot steeple atop the 25- or 26-foot temple.
—Scott D. Pierce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Aug. 2023
Honeycomb gold villages and church steeples rolled out beneath deep ravines that looked impossible to reach by car.
—Kimberley Lovato, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2023
Other temples without steeples or spires include Paris; Hong Kong; and Tucson, Ariz., which has a dome and rises about 50 feet.
—Scott D. Pierce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Aug. 2023
Bricks, church steeples, balconies, and towers shower down on the streets below.
—WIRED, 15 June 2023
The austerity of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, led by McKissic, is accented by its tall steeple in the front and its sleek, curved beige exterior walls.
—Caleb Gayle, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2023
Video posted on social media captured the dramatic moment when the steeple crashed into the church.
—Adam Sennott, BostonGlobe.com, 3 June 2023
Bordered with greenery and shaded with umbrellas, the alfresco seating takes in the steeple of St. John’s Church and the top half of the Washington Monument: dinner and (a bit of) a show.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 17 May 2023
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Scott D. Pierce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 Aug. 2023
That, however, does not mean the church has given up its plans for a 77-foot steeple atop the 25- or 26-foot temple.
—Scott D. Pierce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Aug. 2023
Honeycomb gold villages and church steeples rolled out beneath deep ravines that looked impossible to reach by car.
—Kimberley Lovato, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2023
Other temples without steeples or spires include Paris; Hong Kong; and Tucson, Ariz., which has a dome and rises about 50 feet.
—Scott D. Pierce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Aug. 2023
Bricks, church steeples, balconies, and towers shower down on the streets below.
—WIRED, 15 June 2023
The austerity of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, led by McKissic, is accented by its tall steeple in the front and its sleek, curved beige exterior walls.
—Caleb Gayle, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2023
Video posted on social media captured the dramatic moment when the steeple crashed into the church.
—Adam Sennott, BostonGlobe.com, 3 June 2023
Bordered with greenery and shaded with umbrellas, the alfresco seating takes in the steeple of St. John’s Church and the top half of the Washington Monument: dinner and (a bit of) a show.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 17 May 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'steeple.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English stepel, from Old English stēpel tower; akin to Old English stēap steep
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of steeple was
before the 12th century
Dictionary Entries Near steeple
Cite this Entry
“Steeple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steeple. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on steeple
Nglish: Translation of steeple for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of steeple for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about steeple
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