CLERGYPERSON Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

clergyperson

noun

ˈklər-jē-ˌpər-sᵊn

Definition of clergyperson

as in priest

a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church a clergyperson of your choice would be the best one to advise on this spiritual matter

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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 clergyperson What makes the family tradition sustainable in central Massachusetts, where the Vallelis now live, is a pastor-sharing arrangement between two congregations that couldn’t afford a full-time clergyperson on their own. — G. Jeffrey MacDonald, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2020

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clergyperson

Noun

In 1972, William Christopher joined the cast of M*A*S*H as Father John Mulcahy, the Catholic priest who serves as the Army chaplain.

— Rachel Flynn, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
For the traditional Telugu Hindu ceremony, their priest translated Sanskrit to English in real time, and the mandap was designed as a circle to represent how life flows into itself for eternity.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of priest

Noun

Soon, the vast stadium was packed — not with rugby fans or concertgoers, but with thousands who came to pray with an African preacher.

— Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
The hunting buddies thank God and good friends that McCoy, a Baptist preacher, survived the attack at all.

— Jan Thacker, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of preacher

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

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clergymen

clergyperson

clergypersons

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“Clergyperson.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clergyperson. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of clergyperson

noun

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