churches

Definition of churchesnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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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 churches Agents targeted grocery stores, churches, and construction sites, smashing car windows and pulling people from vehicles or grabbing them at a hardware store parking lot. Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2026 The project is privately funded by individuals, foundations, corporations and churches. Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026 And many churches, schools and homeowners, burned by high utility bills or racked with climate concerns, have pursued residential solar projects. Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 26 Mar. 2026 Just days before the start of Holy Week, the NYPD is investigating two recent incidents of vandalism at churches in Queens as hate crimes. Kristie Keleshian, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026 For example, there was no mandate that immigration officers wear identification or other changes the White House had floated earlier in talks, including a ban on immigration enforcement at schools, churches, hospitals and other sensitive places, the person said. Arkansas Online, 25 Mar. 2026 The colonists awoke from their dream of lucrative plantations to find churches in ashes and molasses cauldrons rusting in the grass. Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026 At least 50 churches line the hillside. Jenn Rice, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2026 Some dates differ for Eastern Orthodox churches, which follow the Julian calendar. Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churches
Noun
  • Many Jews have stopped attending temples that refused to acknowledge their concerns about Israel.
    Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • The attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, one of the largest synagogue congregations in the country, rocked the community.
    Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Conservative congregations are different from conservatism in the political sense, Honig explained, but the terms are often conflated.
    Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 17 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

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Cite this Entry

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

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