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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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
G. Jeffrey MacDonald, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clergyperson
Noun
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She was pulled into a scheme involving a man who posed as a priest, another posing as an immigration judge, and another posing as Oscar Carrillo, an attorney licensed in Texas who practices tax law.—
Naisha Roy,
ProPublica,
29 Apr. 2026
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During the investigation, police found the vehicle’s license plate using cameras in the area, and then used that information, along with details provided by the teen, to identify the then-priest as the suspect.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Officials further described him as a longtime preacher.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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The character later married the town’s preacher played by a pre-Three’s Company John Ritter.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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McColumn is a retired Brigadier General and clergyman from Warner Robins, Georgia.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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The clergyman warns that failure to do so would jeopardize the future of Iran as well as the stability of the entire Middle East, unleashing an even more volatile and repressive regime in the war’s wake.—
Angie Leventis Lourgos,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Kozak was appointed parish pastor in 2002, and served in that role until his retirement in 2015.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
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The pastor who's leading that refuge is also taking personal precautions.—
Irene Gonzalez,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clergyperson.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clergyperson. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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