church

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 next day representatives of various organizations and churches met to discuss police harassment as part of the political repression of the Young Lords. Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026 Initial assessments showed light to severe damage in parts of Ternate, including a church and two houses. ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026 This festival featured carnivals that included music, costumes, and mocking church rituals. Paula Soria, AZCentral.com, 1 Apr. 2026 Jorge was a member of the neighborhood Catholic church, just a few blocks away. Daniel Brook, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for church
Recent Examples of Synonyms for church
Noun
  • Haedong Yonggungsa Temple has become one of the most recognizable temples in Busan, South Korea, but beyond its beauty, there’s a deep and surprising history.
    Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Flea’s new release is a temple of American culture, tackling the timely subjects of civil war, peace and love, and doing so in its own meditative time and space.
    Lars Brandle, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Members of the congregation can decide to extend Good Friday fasting until the Easter vigil.
    Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2026
  • He was asked to anoint one member of his congregation, a Guatemalan immigrant who worked at a local meatpacking plant and often came to the church before work to pray.
    Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Khamenei did much the same by forcing the clergy to recognize him as the leader of the Islamic Revolution despite his lack of qualifications.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
  • William joked about the difficulty of navigating the vast spaces of Lambeth Palace, while Kate spoke about the gardens, emphasizing their role as spaces of reflection and tranquility for clergy and visitors.
    Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The reason to visit this church next to the Pantheon are for the three Caravaggio paintings in its Contarelli chapel.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
  • In the meantime, members can view large floor-to-ceiling renderings of the new chapel on a large wall within the worship center and view construction progress out its windows.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • His high school gym was not the massive cathedrals built to serve the altars of Hoosier hysteria, but with 4,620 seats, the Greenfield Cougar Den is no slouch, either.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The problem is those cathedrals couldn’t move.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Vandals broke into a Catholic school in Long Beach overnight Monday, stealing church items, damaging statues and tossing the tabernacle to the ground, according to police and school officials.
    Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Among the damage is a smashed statue of The Virgin Mary, other religious artifacts, like the tabernacle that stores communion, and destroyed furniture.
    Michele Gile, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Church.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/church. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on church

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster