deacon

noun

ˈdē-kən How to pronounce deacon (audio)
Definition of deaconnext
as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church my cousin was married by his uncle, who is also a deacon in his church

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 deacon Corle, 59, is one of the church deacons and works at nearby Eielson Air Force Base. — Jan Thacker, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026 This summer, archaeologists uncovered a 1,700-year-old Byzantine city in Egypt, complete with a church and a deacon's home. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026 Church deacons want it to be called Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, its previous name. — Arkansas Online, 15 Aug. 2026 The Archdiocese of Baltimore released a statement confirming that Goedeke served as a Catholic Church deacon and former Catholic school teacher. — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deacon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deacon
  1. priest
  2. preacher
  3. bishop
  4. clergyman
  5. pastor
Noun
  • In an email sent to priests of the archdiocese on Saturday afternoon and shared with NPR, Archbishop Ronald Hicks also said the deal had not yet been signed but that an agreement had been reached with plaintiffs and their attorneys.
    — Chandelis Duster, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The Georgetown initiative focuses on descendants of slaves sold by Georgetown's Jesuit priests to slaveholders in Louisiana.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of priest
Noun
  • The preacher was arrested in 2023 after police received a tip-off, and weeks later authorities began uncovering bodies in shallow graves in the Shakahola Forest near the coast in southeastern Kenya.
    — Jefferson Kahinju Reuters, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
  • In the background of a gut-wrenching new album from Teller Bank$, there’s a preacher who sees himself in the biblical parable of Noah’s ark.
    — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of preacher
Noun
  • Leo served as a missionary and bishop in Peru for a number of years.
    — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • From left, the other women are Paula Hoeffer, a bishop, and priests Amy Bruner and Mary Smith.
    — Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of bishop
Noun
  • Without the charismatic clergyman, what kind of unruly Black-underclass anger would take the stage?
    — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • When Yakovlev mentioned the clergyman who attended the death-bed, Adelaide expressed surprise that John had asked to see a pastor.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of clergyman
Noun
  • The Johnson County pastor and the former rural doctor traded condemnations, repeatedly turning policy questions into opportunities to cast doubt on each other’s character and fitness for office.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Reporter covering religion, spirituality and meaning-making A 79-year-old Colorado pastor who lost 35 pounds and the strength to walk after being placed in immigration detention 13 months ago has been released by order of a federal magistrate judge.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of pastor

Browse Nearby Words

dazzlingly
deacon
deaconess
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deacon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deacon. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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