as in church
the people of a religion who are not priests, ministers, etc.
a member of the laity The laity has played an important role in the history of the church.
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Recent Examples of laity
Young Catholics penned an open letter reminding cardinals that there is no church without young people, women and the laity.
—
Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2025
But the next pope will also lead a U.S. laity with some differences within it.
—Anthony Salvanto, CBS News, 7 May 2025
Francis expanded the College of Cardinals beyond the large dioceses and archdioceses to create geographic and cultural diversity and to better represent the makeup of the laity and where the church is growing.
—Christopher Watson, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025
As during the Protestant Reformation, the theological divide has extended beyond the clergy to the laity and the common faithful in the pew.
—Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018
See All Example Sentences for laity
Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2025
But the next pope will also lead a U.S. laity with some differences within it.
—Anthony Salvanto, CBS News, 7 May 2025
Francis expanded the College of Cardinals beyond the large dioceses and archdioceses to create geographic and cultural diversity and to better represent the makeup of the laity and where the church is growing.
—Christopher Watson, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025
As during the Protestant Reformation, the theological divide has extended beyond the clergy to the laity and the common faithful in the pew.
—Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018
See All Example Sentences for laity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laity
Noun
-
Around here, for too many immigrants, here lawfully or not, going to church has actually been risky for months.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Stella Carlson was supposed to spend Saturday morning painting children’s faces at a church.—
Michael Williams,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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At first, the ceremony — performed publicly before the entire parish — seems like a hoax.—
Natalia Winkelman,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
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The parish used to run an off-site migrant shelter at a separate location nearby for more than a year.—
Alexandra Mendoza,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Welcome Baptist Church reports the shooting did not involve members of the congregation.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2026
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The greenery, towering 20 feet above the congregation, brought scents of the forest into the Abbey, and it was said at the time to reflect the couple’s love of the countryside.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Laity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laity. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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