CHURCH Synonyms: 41 Similar and Opposite Words

church

noun

ˈchərch

Definition of church

as in temple

a building for public worship and especially Christian worship a city that is noted for its many historic churches

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in congregation

a body of persons gathered for religious worship spoke to the whole church at once

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in clergy

the group ordained to perform clerical functions in the Christian church a time when few young men seem to want to join the church

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

laity

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 church At age 10 Tillman made his public acting debut in his church’s Christmas production. — Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026 There was a sense that we were being taken to church by this movie, as much as the attendees of that concert must have felt watching Winter play. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026 Their families wept at the church, overtaken by the power of their love. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2026 But there will be no return to the glory days of the mid-20th century, when almost half of Americans routinely attended a church, synagogue or mosque, the same study concluded. — John Blake, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for church

Recent Examples of Synonyms for church

Noun

The Wat Po Deluxe rooms, which face away from the river, actually give you a very striking, colorful view of tropical plants and the intricate, tiled chedis of this famous temple complex.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Asia is represented by Thai director Sompot Chidgasornpongse’s 9 Temples to Heaven, about a family which visits nine temples in a single day in the hope of keeping their grandmother alive.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of temple

Noun

Others like Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, have about 10,000 members and expanded their congregation in recent years by making their church a more attractive destination for people outside their church walls.

— John Blake, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Rabbi and historian Gary Zola explains that of the six earliest Jewish congregations in the United States, the three Southern congregations in Savannah, Charleston and Richmond were the first to introduce reforms.

— Ashley Walters, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of congregation

Noun

The scenes in Paris and Lourdes have visibly inspired Pope Leo and clergy across France.

— Chris Livesay, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Meanwhile, local Church leaders hope the pope's visit will repair the Church's standing after a crushing 2021 report found that some 330,000 French children had been abused by Catholic clergy and lay leaders over seven decades.

— Joshua McElwee, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of clergy

Noun

The hotel works with a local Franciscan friar from Ravello, Friar Marcus, to introduce interested guests to the chapel, or whisk them on tours of Ravello, his local parish (and the home of Villas Cimbrone and Rufolo).

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
About five minutes away, Dakasha Caulfield Leonard, 48, sat in the chapel of Scott’s Bluff Morticians, a nearly century-old fixture in the business community.

— Gary Fields, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of chapel

Noun

In the time since, the show has traveled to nearly 30 cathedrals across Europe and the Americas, selling just over 2 million tickets.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Originally built as a basilica, but turned into a mosque in 786 was, before being transformed again in 1236, this time into a cathedral.

— Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of cathedral

Noun

Those who make the pilgrimage to Temple Square will encounter a host of other attractions and activities, including new exhibits, live concerts and video projections on the ceiling of the tabernacle.

— Brandon Griggs, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Built in 1892, the gospel tabernacle once was home to the Grand Ole Opry radio show from 1943 to 1974.

— USA TODAY Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026

Definition of tabernacle

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chunters

church

churches

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Cite this Entry

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“Church.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/church. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of church

noun

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