pastor

noun

Definition of pastornext
as in rector

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 pastor Bush was a pastor turned activist and triage nurse in the wake of the 2014 Ferguson protests. — ABC News, 26 July 2026 Movie law conveniently parlays their lengthy sentence into a week’s work at the cheery, picturesque Burning Bush Camp, where supervising pastor Tom (Chris Klein) sportingly overlooks their dubious childcare creds and eccentric prayer style. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 25 July 2026 Jeremy Klein, a 51-year-old pastor in Ohio who lost his sense of smell from COVID in May 2025, participated in one of Zhao’s trials. — Hannah Docter-Loeb, Scientific American, 24 July 2026 Chadwick is a former pastor of Forest Hill, which meets at the Ballantyne YMCA for one of its branches. — Chase Jordan july 23, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pastor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pastor
  1. rector
  2. clergyman
  3. vicar
  4. parson
  5. churchman
  6. shepherd
  7. bishop
  8. padre
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
  • 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
  • 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
  • And what does the old man who sleeps by the fire know about the dead parson?
    — Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026
  • It was said that the room contained a troubled spirit and that the parson was supposed to bless the space.
    — Meredith Kile, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Definition of parson
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
  • 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
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

Browse Nearby Words

past masters
pastor
pastoral
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pastor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pastor. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on pastor

Nglish: Translation of pastor for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All