preacher

noun

ˈprē-chər How to pronounce preacher (audio)
Definition of preachernext
as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church the marriage will be performed by our usual preacher

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 preacher Politicians and preachers denounced them for blasphemy, perversion, and their loud support for civil rights. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2026 In the movie, a local brothel — the Devil’s Playhouse — becomes the target of a TV preacher, forcing the town’s sheriff, who happens to be a frequent customer, to save it. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Aug. 2026 The son of a former preacher, the South Carolina native grew up around music. — Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026 Parton’s first musical performances were in church, where her grandfather was a preacher. — Kristin M. Hall, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for preacher
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preacher
  1. priest
  2. clergyman
  3. pastor
  4. minister
  5. reverend
Noun
  • After shooting Lino in the foot, the stranger reveals himself as Father Joe (Kiefer Sutherland), an actual priest who takes on Manhattan’s drug dealers wearing his work clothes.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Helping people was the reason Judge had become a priest many years earlier.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of priest
Noun
  • Alongside Garfield’s Ploughman is Cosmo Jarvis as the true historical figure Wat Tyler, Jamie Bell as clergyman John Ball and Thomasin McKenzie as fellow rebel Alyce.
    — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of clergyman
Noun
  • Nigerian pastor William Kumuyi, whose Global Crusades have taken his ministry to countries across several continents, sees those qualities as a wider feature of African Christianity.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Last October, 18 members of the Zion Church in China, including its founder, pastor Ezra Jin, were arrested in one of China’s largest crackdowns on a single church in decades.
    — Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of pastor
Noun
  • Some ministers also raised the idea of using billions of euros in frozen Russian assets to help meet more of Ukraine’s military and economic needs.
    — Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • For the past four years, the territory has been the domain of Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, who serves simultaneously as finance minister and as the minister in charge of the West Bank.
    — Amos Harel, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of minister
Noun
  • However, a reverend in Zambia — Billiance Chondwe — says he's noticed a change.
    — Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 18 June 2026
  • Spirtual foundation Astara, where Guidera reportedly served as a reverend, paid tribute to the late actor in an emotional social media post over the weekend.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 9 June 2026
Definition of reverend

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Cite this Entry

“Preacher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preacher. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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