churchmen

noun

plural of churchman
as in clergymen

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for churchmen
  1. priests
  2. preachers
  3. clerics
  4. divines
  5. deacons
Noun
  • Several priests were suspended over their work in Sandinista Nicaragua.
    — Eben Levey, The Conversation, 6 Nov. 2026
  • In the English cut, this feels like a distinction without a difference, since Rama’s training by various priests and sages has, in fact, been in anticipation of a conflict with Ravana.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of priests
Noun
  • Followers at the time were led by a constellation of preachers and elders, all men.
    — Noelle Crombie, ProPublica, 11 Nov. 2026
  • But DeFalco is drawn to the sidewalk dwellers, street preachers and parking-lot boozers who also lurk down there and help (or hinder) Ten, usually at a loud volume.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of preachers
Noun
  • For the same reasons little dogs appeared so frequently at the feet of dead women (and clerics) in tomb sculpture, plenty of Renaissance portraits feature them as a symbol of fidelity.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Oddly enough, Iran and Afghanistan, both ruled by clerics, are the only countries in the world that still regularly stage public executions.
    — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of clerics
Noun
  • Kropschot divines melodies in lines like a composer eking out a score.
    — Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of divines
Noun
  • These female bishops, in turn, ordained more women as deacons, priests and bishops.
    — Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Corle, 59, is one of the church deacons and works at nearby Eielson Air Force Base.
    — Jan Thacker, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of deacons
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.

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churchman
churchmen
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Cite this Entry

“Churchmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/churchmen. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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