churches

plural of church
1
as in temples
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 congregations
a body of persons gathered for religious worship spoke to the whole church at once

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3
as in clergies
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 churches Norman rule helped shape both our churches and our laws, not to mention the language that this sentence is written in. John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026 Under Spanish rule, able-bodied Malay men, from teenagers to adults, were required to perform 40 days of unpaid annual labor on roads, bridges, churches, forts, piers, plantations, haciendas and mines. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 African churches in the West often serve migrant communities. Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026 Her escape underscores China’s deepening crackdown on underground Christian churches and the lawyers who represent them, even after prominent pastor Ezra Jin’s release in a case raised with Xi Jinping. Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 The annual gathering brings together 2,400 people aged 16 to 35, many from Romania and its diaspora and other Orthodox churches. ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 Today, ballroom is becoming increasingly visible in theaters, festivals, Pride celebrations, churches and other civic spaces. Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026 This location is more residential, with quieter streets and approachable local trattorias, but offers several architecturally significant palaces and one of the city's oldest churches, the 11th-century San Zan Degola. Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The restriping and new infrastructure, advocacy groups and neighborhood associations hoped, could encourage business growth and make the street safer for the nearby schools, community centers and churches. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churches
Noun
  • The portable, retractable cream stick delivers warmth and definition rather than a wash of color, blending easily across the cheekbones, temples, and other areas where the sun naturally hits.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • While Mormon temples may be a common sight in many cities across the United States, the average American might not realize how much land is owned by the Mormon Church.
    Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Eventually, the conservatives succeeded; the denomination finally divided in a schism in 2024, with more than seventy-six hundred congregations leaving to join a conservative Global Methodist Church.
    Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • From 2015 to 2025, the sect’s congregations in Idaho experienced 15 preventable deaths of children, according to ProPublica’s reporting.
    Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Towering cathedrals of ice define the shore, in contrast to the vast, untouched, eerily silent expanses that stretch inland.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Here, Windstar’s experts will guide travelers through winding lanes lined with Byzantine churches and cathedrals that date back to the 12th and 13th centuries.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Churches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churches. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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