parson

noun

Definition of parsonnext
as in vicar

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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 parson Writing in the eighteenth century, Smith compared energetic and often sensationalist Methodist preachers with the more reserved and cerebral parsons of the Church of England. — Shadi Hamid, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2024 The other is her violent stepfather, who, in this version, is also the church’s parson (Steven Pasquale). — Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024 His living room included an antique Japanese screen hanging on a white wall above a leather banquette with pillow sable heads mounted on silver pedestals and a parsons table. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, 6 Dec. 2023 The stranger asked to see Patrick, but after he was informed that the parson was ill in bed, the encounter took an unsettling turn. — V.m. Braganza, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Oct. 2023 See All Example Sentences for parson
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parson
  1. vicar
  2. clergyman
  3. pastor
  4. rector
  5. churchman
  6. padre
  7. shepherd
  8. bishop
Noun
  • The couple were married by a female vicar, per the Daily Mail.
    — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026
  • Nearly every murder is solved by the end of the episode, but despite the unusual twist of having the village vicar team up with the police, the real action comes from the relationships among the characters.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 14 June 2026
Definition of vicar
Noun
  • Such details include McCartney’s bare feet and opposite stride and the other members’ attire (Lennon’s white supposedly represents a clergyman, Starr’s black a mourner, and Harrison’s denim a gravedigger).
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 July 2026
  • Robin, our hero, is the son of a country clergyman.
    — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
Definition of clergyman
Noun
  • One is in the church with the pastor expressing his anger about Lou being gone.
    — Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026
  • After spending 266 days in prison, Ezra Jin Mingri, the Christian pastor of the underground Zion Church in Beijing, arrived in the United States on July 5.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 28 July 2026
Definition of pastor
Noun
  • There was only one doctor left in the country who could do it, neurosurgeon Volodymyr Smolanka, acting rector of Uzhhorod National University.
    — Elaine Pofeldt, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
  • The Rectory As the name suggests, The Rectory was originally home to the rector of nearby All Saints’ Church and his 14 children.
    — Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026
Definition of rector
Noun
  • Meanwhile, churchmen claimed the authority to restrain violence, encouraged just wars and threatened violent behaviors with spiritual sanctions.
    — Joëlle Rollo-Koster, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Not all birth rituals depended on the intercession of a saint or the authority of a churchman.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of churchman
Noun
  • The Mexican fan palm, supposedly brought here by the mission-building padres to supply Palm Sunday foliage, can grow taller, maybe 10 stories, and skinnier, and can dip and sway camera-readily in the wind.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025
  • The group has since evolved to the comité de padres and grown to roughly 30 mothers.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 18 Apr. 2024
Definition of padre
Noun
  • Witnesses said the men tried siccing a German shepherd on CBS News Chicago's photojournalist while yelling racial slurs, but the dog did not obey the command.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Quasi, a German shepherd around 13 years old, was found wandering on his own.
    — Greta Cross, USA Today, 31 July 2026
Definition of shepherd
Noun
  • Man of books and learning Several of the videos show Athanasius of Alexandria, a fourth-century bishop and theologian traditionally considered one of the church fathers.
    — Denva Gallant, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
  • Juan José Gerardi Conedera (born December 27, 1922, Guatemala City, Guatemala—killed April 26, 1998, Guatemala City) was a Guatemalan Roman Catholic bishop and human rights activist.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026
Definition of bishop

Browse Nearby Words

parsing
parson
parsonage
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Cite this Entry

“Parson.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parson. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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