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
Despite the bishops’ protests, the laity seems to be aligning more with the president than with their shepherds.
—
Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 20 Dec. 2025
Indeed, nuns are now teaching philosophy within their own nunneries at home and abroad, becoming principals of their institutions, serving as role models for other nuns and the laity, and entering long retreats – a staple of Buddhist contemplative activities on the path to awakening.
—Darcie Price-Wallace, The Conversation, 26 Sep. 2025
To believe that churches can direct the laity on how to vote, whether for members of the school board or for the president of the country, is to deny the Christian teaching that all humans are made in the image of God and can understand and follow his will themselves.
—Esau McCaulley, The Atlantic, 15 July 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
Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 20 Dec. 2025
Indeed, nuns are now teaching philosophy within their own nunneries at home and abroad, becoming principals of their institutions, serving as role models for other nuns and the laity, and entering long retreats – a staple of Buddhist contemplative activities on the path to awakening.
—Darcie Price-Wallace, The Conversation, 26 Sep. 2025
To believe that churches can direct the laity on how to vote, whether for members of the school board or for the president of the country, is to deny the Christian teaching that all humans are made in the image of God and can understand and follow his will themselves.
—Esau McCaulley, The Atlantic, 15 July 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
-
Mia Tomašić attends the church with her family, who regularly attend the events.—
Julianna Mejia,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
-
Members of Rischar’s hometown church in Lancaster have also rallied to raise funds to ease the costs of housing and final arrangements for Rischar’s wife, Rebecca, who was a stay-at-home mother.—
Reeti Malhotra,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Mikešić is a member of the club, and has grown up in the parish and community.—
Julianna Mejia,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
-
That’s the case for the group Cabral and some 35,000 other youth belong to, Hakuna, which started in the early 2010s in a Madrid parish when a group of college students set up a weekly hour of Eucharistic adoration, preceded by a short lecture and followed by a meetup at a local bar.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
The majority of the congregation lives in south or southeast Charlotte, which makes the YMCA location the perfect location, Chadwick said.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2026
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Collister’s congregation is small, maybe 50 people on a Sunday.—
Mark Dee
June 19,
Idaho Statesman,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Laity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laity. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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