as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church
a clergyperson of your choice would be the best one to advise on this spiritual matter
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Recent Examples of clergyperson
What makes the family tradition sustainable in central Massachusetts, where the Vallelis now live, is a pastor-sharing arrangement between two congregations that couldn’t afford a full-time clergyperson on their own.
—
G. Jeffrey MacDonald, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2020
G. Jeffrey MacDonald, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clergyperson
Noun
-
There is a priest; there is the Word, a term used in Christianity to refer to Christ and to Holy Scripture; there is God, whom the priest calls love; there is a baby and a cross, bookending the life of Christ.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Estelle is forced into relentless negotiations to save the lives of inmates and prison personnel including the prison’s priest (Jason Isaacs, The White Lotus) and librarian (Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus).—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
One of the men, like Baldwin, had been a boy preacher.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
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But some believe a traveling, apocalyptic preacher convinced her that killing Noah, John, Paul, Luke and Mary was the only way to save them from eternal damnation.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The clergyman connected Webster with another church member who was a criminal-defense lawyer.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
-
With intact skin and tissue, the mummified body, thought to be an 18th century clergyman, had drawn speculation of healing properties and even rumors of being poisoned.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
23 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Moore is accused of killing his father, brother, uncle, 7-year-old cousin, a church pastor, and the pastor’s brother in incidents that sprawled across three different crime scenes on Friday evening.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Jan. 2026
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Their father, Matt Heinricy, is a pastor and basketball junkie.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clergyperson.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clergyperson. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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