1
as in temples
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 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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of churches
Its docks and alleys, its free Black communities and slave markets, its churches and street corners — this was the laboratory of his conscience.
—
Jack Hill, Baltimore Sun, 26 Feb. 2026
At a time when Black women were often prohibited from using facilities or belonging to country clubs, Glynis Morrow, the Wilfandel Club's past president, said homes and churches were the only places to gather for entertaining or meeting.
—Amy Johnson, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
About 400 people initially signed the statement, representing a range of Christian denominations, leaders of Black, Asian and Latino churches and associations and Christian universities and institutions.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Destroying trust in churches Benek said these new sophisticated scams further erode trust in religious institutions — most of which have dealt with some sort of scandal in recent memory.
—Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Russia has destroyed more than 600 churches, persecuted millions of Ukrainian Christians under occupation, and abducted more than 19,000 children in an effort to break Ukraine’s spirit.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 24 Feb. 2026
The Department of Homeland Security said it’s been in contact with churches in Springfield about the threats.
—Caitlin Hu, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
The historic heart of Savannah is best experienced by strolling, drifting between the squares with stately old homes, cafes, shops and churches.
—Adam Kuehl, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Here's a look at some of the Des Moines-area churches offering meatless meals during Lent in 2026.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 18 Feb. 2026
Jack Hill, Baltimore Sun, 26 Feb. 2026
At a time when Black women were often prohibited from using facilities or belonging to country clubs, Glynis Morrow, the Wilfandel Club's past president, said homes and churches were the only places to gather for entertaining or meeting.
—Amy Johnson, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
About 400 people initially signed the statement, representing a range of Christian denominations, leaders of Black, Asian and Latino churches and associations and Christian universities and institutions.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Destroying trust in churches Benek said these new sophisticated scams further erode trust in religious institutions — most of which have dealt with some sort of scandal in recent memory.
—Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Russia has destroyed more than 600 churches, persecuted millions of Ukrainian Christians under occupation, and abducted more than 19,000 children in an effort to break Ukraine’s spirit.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 24 Feb. 2026
The Department of Homeland Security said it’s been in contact with churches in Springfield about the threats.
—Caitlin Hu, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
The historic heart of Savannah is best experienced by strolling, drifting between the squares with stately old homes, cafes, shops and churches.
—Adam Kuehl, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Here's a look at some of the Des Moines-area churches offering meatless meals during Lent in 2026.
—Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for churches
Noun
-
Though rarely questioned in temples, relic authenticity is disputed globally — Singapore’s famous Buddha tooth was shown to probably belong to a cow.—
Deepa Bharath,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2026
-
The ghastly kills are there — innards are spilled on floors, knives go through temples, heads stuck on pikes expel vomitous discharge — but there’s little of the preceding back-and-forth that made such scenes notable in the past and at least conceptually justified the grotesquerie.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In addition to hosting health fairs, the network offers educational workshops, resources, health screenings and works with lay people in congregations to share information.—
Cassandra Spratling,
Freep.com,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Texas is home to over 390,000 Latter-day Saints who meet in more than 750 congregations, according to the church, including in temples dedicated in Dallas, Houston, Lubbock, McAllen and San Antonio.—
Lilly Kersh,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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God appeared once, Christianity twice, and cathedrals, but not the Mother of Parliaments in London.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
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Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, capacity 100,077, is among college football's largest and most hallowed cathedrals.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Churches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churches. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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